Howl to the Sky
by sphinxs-legend
Summary: Jacob Black is back in La Push, just in time to meet up with Embry's very disturbed little cousin. How will he feel when the girl of his dreams turns out to be handicapped? Why does Bella warn him that his imprint isn't honest? Jacob/OC
1. Prologue

**Hello, dear readers! I know over half of you will not read this, but for the half who understand what I mean because they currently are, thank you for reading my story **_Howl To The Sky__**,**_** my first official Twilight fanfiction story. I would like to say, now and forever that I sadly do not own the original storylines of Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, or what I may end up incorperating of Breaking Dawn. **

**Luckily, I do own my characters, the Talons. Please do not steal them or judge them too crucially considering the character development is just starting. **

**I am currently at a point in my life where I need a lot of fluff and romance, so I assume that this story will move quickly into that for my own selfish comfort. I warn you now. I hope you enjoy the story, please feel free to review. Thank you all, and on to the story!**

It seemed that the wolf was not moving over the ground, but that the ground was moving under him. As he ran, the world seemed to shift beneath him, taking him where he wanted to go and far away from where he no longer believed he belonged. He had been gone for a long time. He had lost himself to his instincts in order to find himself, only to find that it lead him once again back home. His father had been happy to see him again, and the wolf was secretly relieved to have somewhere to again call his own.

Jacob Black waited for his friends to catch up to him on the border of the reservation, trotting with a little too much smugness. They only had a lap or so left before they were released for other non-werewolf-chores.

_I really missed the feeling of someone else's inflated ego. Leah's was getting old. _Embry's voice mocked in Jacob's mind. Quil snickered, a bark heard from the wolves oversensitive ears. Curses were heard in their minds from the small grey wolf coming to replace them in their round.

_Yes, we really need someone as rough and tough as Jacob to join the pack again...how long will it be before you ditch again, Jake? _Leah asked with stinging vengeance. _Will you stay a whole season this time?_

_Get off his back, Leah. _Sam's authoritative voice came in. Though he did not put his alpha power behind it, there was an edge to it that Leah wasn't sure she wanted to disobey. _Jake has come home for however long he needs to and we will be there for him the whole time. _

_Thank you, Sam. _Jacob smirked in satisfaction, throwing his eager thoughts to Leah, who growled and pawed at the ground while running towards them a little faster. She slowed down when a more chipper and enthusiastic mind joined in their chain of thoughts. If anyone could have physically seen the small and gangly wolf, they would have guessed that Seth was jumping up and down on all fours.

_It's the big day! I'm so excited to see Rayn this afternoon. Think she'll give me a new CD for the car ride home?_

_Seth, shut up._ Leah's growl was as insistent as it had been the last week that the pack had been forced to endure Seth's elation. Leah was, as usual, not happy. It had been a long time since they had seen their cousin Rayn, who was the daughter of Sky and Jason Talon.

Leah also knew that the reason Rayn was being thrust onto the La Push reservation this summer was because her parents had, evidently, gone 'crazy'. She had heard her mother whispering it over the phone to Billy Black. This made her resentment for the situation that much more severe, even if she wouldn't have to spend any intimate time with her. Leah had decided Seth was only happy because he was too young to remember Rayn and all the things she had done as a child.

_Would you for once in your life,_ Embry's angry tone read through their minds, _stop badmouthing _my _cousin too? She's staying with me because you're too cold to let your own flesh and blood into your house...then again, it can be argued you're not the sanest yourself._ He spat venomously. The hair on the wolfs neck rose as he walked past the grey wolf. Leah's eyes narrowed as she stood ready to pounce, looking towards the larger wolf in anger.

_I'm not fighting you._ Embry thought with a roll of his eyes before walking away. Leah thought about pouncing to his back before a large black wolf walked right in front of him, growling openly to warn her of her mistake. The black wolf went into the woods, telling them to follow him and complete their rounds, while giving other orders to Jacob, Embry and Quil who had been their longest.

"I really can't stand the sound of your snarling." Jacob muttered behind Leah, appearing in a pair of old jeans from behind a bush. He had a shirt in his hands that he seemed hesitant to put on, with shoes around his neck. Quil soon was behind him, tugging a t-shirt over his head with faded chords. "I'm finally safe at home and this is what I have to listen to?" He asked the slender gray wolf. She pawed at the ground twice, creating an 'x' of anger. Jacob chuckled to himself before walking away, yawning enthusiastically. "Coming Em'?" He asked. Embry gave a violent snarl as an answer, his eyes lashing into Leah's.

"Take that as a 'no'." Quil winced before headed out behind Jacob. They disappeared into the quiet woods within seconds. This helped Leah angrily decide to keep the subject rolling.

_Well, she clearly is your cousin,_ she thought pointedly. _She's absolutely creepy. Looks different than anyone I have ever seen...and I've seen the Cullens._ Embry stopped walking after the two, brief flashes of his childhood with the little girl with curly hair flashed through his thoughts. It was clear to all of them that they were much closer to each other than she and Leah.

_Listen Leah, Rayn has had to go through a lot- _Embry began through gritted teeth.

_A lot? Honestly, it was Leo who had to go through 'a lot'. And a lot of that 'a lot' was all Rayn's fault. Had she not been so careless-_

_She was barely thirteen. He was Sixteen. He should have known better. _Embry defended. Visions of who Leah remembered flashed before his eyes. They had all been close to Leo. Leo was closer to their age, only one year older. Rayn was nearly three years younger. Leo had always been very social as well. Fun to be around...Rayn was more maintenance...didn't like crowds.

_I think she's sweet. _Seth protested quietly.

_She's a brat. _Leah hissed in return.

_Leah, you are a brat. Maybe if you'd stop being one you'd get your head out of your own ass long enough to see that she's an innocent kid. _Embry sneered as he began walking away. Leah rolled her eyes.

_Embry, Rayn is a high class, attention cra-_

But he would not hear the rest. He had already morphed into his human form, tugging on his jean cut offs as he ran to catch up to Jake and Quil.


	2. The Guest List

"I barely remember the girl," Quil moaned, shaking a hand through his newly cut hair. The boys were currently walking up and down the shoreline, dragging piles of wood from one place to the next. They put them up in triangles of fuel and quickly went on to the next. They had been told to make at least a dozen, everyone seemed excited for it. "But is she really worth all this? I mean, I'm not _complaining _or anything, but-really-?"

It was common knowledge to everyone in La Push that there was a large bonfire tonight. It was a party to welcome the summer solstice; but everyone knew it was really organized by the Elders at the request of Seth. And who else but Seth would ever think of welcoming an old Quileute like Rayn and the two vampires back from their first semester of college?

"We all know who it's for." Jacob sneered. Trying to keep his face as stoic as possible. Images of Bella pressed against his thoughts. Bella with blood red eyes, Bella ravagingly thirsty and trying to attack the people from the reservation. He knew he was being stupid. He had been told that Bella had responded very well to the transformation. That she had proven to have just as special an ability as Edward with her mind-shields and that she had been able to fight off the thirst rather quickly. She had even seen Charlie after a proper amount of time when her eyes had dulled. She was as normal as could be for a vampire...but she was a vampire. She was no longer Bella Swan: Human, sweet, and klutzy. His Bells. But, this was now Bella Cullen. Isabella Cullen: Vampire, thirsty and powerful. His natural-born enemy. During Jacobs revere, Quil looked to Embry hoping one of them would change the subject.

"I really think it's for Rayn," Embry said quickly. "Sure, you don't remember her but the rest of the reservation does. And everyone remembers what happened to the family."

"Was there any truth to what Leah said?" Jacob asked, going back to what he had heard before the conversation seemed to get deeply intimate. "About the family?"

"Yeah." Embry sighed shaking his head from side to side as if to crack his neck. "Leo died four years back," his voice cracked. "The whole family kind of went insane. Sky, the mother was so sure it was Rayn's fault, she'd always been a bit of a cooke. Jason started drinking real bad...Rayn just went-" he paused. "Quiet." Jacob was about to pursue until he saw Quil look to the ground in what almost seemed like shame or embarrassment. It didn't take a genius to know that this was a sensitive subject for Embry. Embry clearly loved Rayn, and Rayn was clearly in a bit of trouble.

"Well, she has a party waiting for her tonight!" Jake said, patting Embry on the back. "Wolves, Leeches and Humans! The best mix of freaks there is!" Embry smiled despite himself and shook his head again. To Jake, it looked like he was about to thank him but instead, he pat him on the back. Jake accepted it.

"Let's get this place ready for your cousin." Quil smiled and threw a piece of wood at Embry and with a laugh, the war began.

The boys knew that they had done their jobs properly. It was dusk now, the light was fading against the water. It was casting large red and purple lines against the sky and illuminating the sand in colourful and appropriate patterns for the party. Jacob was in jeans and a Button-up T. The wolves had been told, by the elders, to dress appropriately for the event.

The wolves had, of course been smart enough to know that they would be making rounds. The vampires had been invited - thanks to Seth - and they were always on their guard. No one had seen Bella since their transformation and the only one who kept in touch with them while they were away was Seth. All they had was the word from their pen pal-writing. And that was, obviously, not good enough. Two wolves would always be patrolling, with a minimum of one wolf always around her.

Jacob really wished he hadn't volunteered to be that first person. He had wanted to do it so that he could show just how well he was doing. Just how in place and sane he felt without her around...but he was suddenly getting anxious. His palms were sweating and even though he kept rubbing it on his jeans, it never really went away. It was all he could do not to imagine the bright red eyes that he knew would not be there. It was all he could do not to care.

Most people had already arrived and were sitting at campfires. It looked a little strange, so many fires starting to be lit. None were very large yet, but Jake knew that wouldn't last for long. Embry had disappeared a bit back. He and Leah were running the first round of the party while Seth and Sue Clearwater went and retrieved Rayn Talon from the airport. Jacob stayed near the back of the beach, closer to the road to be nearer to where he knew the vampires would be filing in. He didn't know if it would be just Bella and Edward or if more would be coming. He knew they were though, he could smell them from here.

"Well, she's here." Quil announced with fake, enthusiastic spirit fingers. Jake's insides lurched. He couldn't smell them that strongly.

"Bella?" His head whipped around, amazed he would have missed them.

"No." Quil chuckled. "Rayn. She's sitting by that fourth campfire, over there." Quil pointed to the left, where there was a small group of people already waiting. He saw an small and unfamiliar shape. "She's not that bad. Really pretty..." Jake looked at him when he didn't recover from his strange trail off.

"But?"

"Well, it's not a but or anything..." Quil shook his hand through his hair, a habit ever since he had first cut his hair from his first transformation. "It's just...Leah was kinda right, is all."

"'Kinda'?" Jake repeated in exasperation, wishing someone would give it to him straight. But the smell behind him was now overwhelming, and before the voice spoke he knew who was there. The sickly sweet smell of a flower that had never actually grown was emanating like a pulse from behind him. Ironic that he knew what was creating the smell had no heartbeat at all.

"Jacob!" The voice sounded like the jingling of bells. How accurate for Bella. It was a manipulated voice, ultimately sweet and innocent. Less sarcastic and deep than her human voice had been. The optimistic enthusiasm did not help the situation, Jake took an unmasked breath before he turned.

Edward looked as he always had. He had chiselled features, as if carved from stone. A white stone, like marble or maybe a light granite. Jake was one of the only ones to know that was what his skin really was. His amber-gold eyes were obviously holding back some sort of disapproval of the situation. His pale and cold skin was wrapped around a tall and beautiful, but obviously deadly angel.

It was obvious that Bella was not an angel. There was something dangerous about her features. Something predatory. Bella's mahogany hair, which used to hang in whichever way she had slept on it was now in perfect locks of a darker shade...or perhaps it looked darker because her skin no longer had the peach glow behind it's paleness. Bella's chocolate eyes were no longer mysteriously shielded, but rather a matching liquid gold. Her pupils were round but somehow reminded him of that of a feline. Actually, as he watched her movements, so graceful and foreign, everything reminded him of a cat. Maybe that's why he was to hate her. But he didn't hate her...against all his morals Jacob could not deny:

Bella was beautiful.

It took Jacob more than a few moments to be able to speak, it seemed Quil caught on and decided to save him. "You're right on time."

"Nothing's started yet? We were wondering if you would start before the sun went down or not. It was such a wonderful day out..." Bella smiled, it seemed she couldn't _stop _smiling, as she looked at Jacob like she had the day of her wedding. As if everything in life was perfect. As if she hadn't torn him to shreds.

"I'm pretty sure the elders were waiting for the guest honour," Jacob said with a sneer, and before Bella could get the idea it was about her, he continued. "Rayn just got here from the airport. She's Embry and Seth's cousin." Bella seemed interested, looking to Edward with a smile. Edward looked down at her with a blank expression which made her brow furrow. But she quickly masked it as she looked back to Jacob with the same heart-breaking smile.

"Well, what's she like? Why such the party?"

"Actually, we haven't met her-"

"But Seth saved us a spot." Quil added. "Seth was one of the ones bringing her in, and he has been dying to see you." Quil started leading the way to the campfire where the larger group of werewolves were located. Jacob was grateful, it appeared his legs weren't working as fluidly as he would have wished they would. Bella was making him nervous. The idea of her...undead...but not yet alive and being so happy to see him was almost too much for him to bear. He tried to concentrate on something else.

"Sam wants to know if we should be expecting any of your other friends tonight?" He asked in a very formal voice. Almost a military voice. Edward bowed his head, probably reading his thoughts. Jacob looked away. As if _that _would help...

"Alice said that she was interested with something she saw..." Bella started. "...She thought about stopping by, maybe bringing Jasper." Jacob tried to suppress his sneer. Jasper was the most dangerous, the one who knew how to fight so well. No one ever really felt safe around him because of his obvious lack of control for his thirst.

"He's been doing a lot better." Edward interrupted. "Besides, all the smell of wolf will probably turn him off of feeding anyway." Bella nodded feverishly.

"No offence, Jacob. But you reek."

"So do you. I feel like I just swallowed air freshener." Bella giggled, a tinkling sound resembling the kind that Alice would make, yet with a totally different style of bell. Bigger, deeper, but just as sickeningly sweet.

The four started to reach the campfire, Jacob starting to gain use of his limbs again. He cleared his throat as he stepped in the sand, feeling how cool it was under his feet. He looked at his surroundings. Around the campfire were a few large logs, obviously dragged there. Probably Seth trying to show off for his cousin. On one log was Seth, Sue, and Leah was standing behind them, not planning on staying. The log to their right held Billy's wheelchair parked to the side, Rachel and Paul. The one to the right of them was empty, obviously meant for the vampires, and beside that was one occupant. A small body. An unfamiliar body.

Jake bowed his head as they walked forward, wondering curiously about this Rayn and how she would fare in a circle of leeches and werewolves. He chuckled at the bright and animated scenarios playing in his minds eye. To his surprise, Edward chuckled too. Jacob looked back to the campfire as he started to feel the heat of the fire, meaning they were about 10-15 feet away.

This girl, Rayne, was quite a specimen. Her dark curly hair fell in long vines around her dark face. Her nose was babyish, her lips rather large and naturally a strange colour of pink. She gracefully went from watching her animated cousin Seth to the tattered book in her lap, her delicate hands held it in place and her eyes looked strangely light by the flickering of the growing fire.

Jacob took in a deep breath. He looked at the girl by the fire and shivered, his skin suddenly cool as he started to sweat. His hands began to shake, but not with their regular werewolf distinction...with frightened surprise. He looked at the girl for a long moment, too long, before his breath finally started to calm, his heart stopped racing and the shivering no longer sent bumps all over his skin.

Jacob took two giant steps back from the strangely familiar feeling...and yet he knew it was something he had never felt. His eyes widened in fear from the shivering all over his body. But his wide eyes didn't leave the girl.

"No." Jacob said quickly, before he could stop himself. This didn't make sense...or, at least it wasn't supposed to. But some memory in the back of his mind, or rather, from a voice that had been in his mind not but eight hours ago, told him exactly what this was. Exactly what was happening. Quil was looking at him in confusion, Bella was looking from Quil, to Jake, to Edward and back again in a frantic circle. Edward's eyebrows had shot up and he was letting out a strained and nervous chuckle.

"No!" Jake repeated. "You can see what's going on...what - how - well? What's going on?!" he fumbled, probably more loudly than meant. Quil took in a breath, looking back to where Jake had went back to looking. Jake noticed then that his eyes were again locked on the girls face. Quil let it out in a strangled laugh, too awkward to finish the sentiment. "I couldn't have - "

"Jacob?" Bella asked warily, looking at him with her amber eyes full of concern and confusion. "What is it?"

"I - I can't believe it - but - while- how?!" Jake had been very close to announcing that this couldn't have happened. That he was in love with Bella. That this couldn't happen while she was here to compare to. That this couldn't have ever happened to him and how it didn't make sense, but he didn't seem able to rip himself from Rayn's profile. He didn't seem to understand how to put into words what had just happened, it seemed however, that his friend could.

"I think he just imprinted." Quil laughed, patting Jacob on the back with enough force to knock Jacob's eyes away from her. Edward instinctively pulled Bella close. She got a shocked look on her face before it quickly turned sour. She seemed gravely confused. Jake had to look away, just to see her again, to make sure. The shivers commenced.

"But - that's it? Just like that? No fireworks or music? No explosions?" She asked, looking to the girl by the fire and shaking her head in disbelief. She looked back at Jacob with upset amber eyes. "You can barely see her face."

"Oh there are fireworks," Edward told in an unreadable tone. Bella seemed to take that as an insult. Her jaw set as her eyes flashed back to the girl on the log, who currently seemed to be stealing a glance to the book in her lap.

"Oh really?" She muttered through gritted teeth. Jacob looked at her, pleading with his eyes for her to forgive him. She seemed angry with him, his mind turned each way in confusion. And then, he realized. Why should she be mad at him? She had gotten married and turned into a _vampire _instead of choosing him? She had abandoned him as soon as her bloodsucker had come back into town. She had hit him. Hurt him. Rejected him...and now she was, dare he say it...jealous?

Edwards eyebrows raised, clearly and characteristically listening to this epiphany.

"Your head too small to keep thoughts so you have to look at others?" He asked, too angry to expect an answer that he knew he wouldn't be able to fire back, he was already bouncing on the balls of his feet to go and run to her side on the log. Edward, suddenly seemed to get the same smugness. He looked from Quil, back over to Jacob, and to the girl on the log.

"Well," He said slowly. "She seems like something you would like. You know, special...different." Jacob raised an eyebrow, looking to Quil.

"Different?" He repeated. But it was then that Embry's flame-tinted silhouette could be seen from behind the Cullens. "Oh God." Embry would be furious! Embry's little cousin and Jacob? A werewolf? He was already so protective of her when battling against Leah. Quil pat his back as Jacob looked back to the fire, wondering if the girl would be worth a fight with one of his best friends. He hated the answer which immediately jumped into his mind.

"I'll tell him and keep him calm." Quil sighed. Jacob nodded glancing once more towards the vampires (already talking in inaudibly fast words) and Embry before running towards the campfire, trying to stop and keep his warm feet away from her. The sand suddenly felt so much softer under his skin, the fire burning so much brighter. He knew he must look so strange, his strange deer-like expression and his sweaty palms. On top of that, everyone else was dressed prepared for the cold, sweaters in hand, shoes on feet. Even the werewolves had them in hand for show. But Jacob didn't look at them for long, his eyes fell back on Rayn Talon.

Her hair was ratty, clearly washed in the morning, but she must have done something which required a lot of movement to mess it about. That it was curly did not help it look organized. She was in light green-blue jeans and white running shoes with aqua laces. She was wearing a black sweater, many sizes too large. Her breath was coming out ragged, quickly paced. She was already cold? She sat only feet away from the fire...what a strange creature. He walked up behind her, looking over her shoulder to what book had her so interested. He could not tell the origin, but he saw that she was on page 122 and there seemed to be about 200 more.

He felt nervous, his throat was dry, his palms still sweaty as if they had stolen the moisture from within his mouth. He walked a few steps closer to her, wiping his hands against his pants, knowing it must be a good show for Quil who was talking to Embry and for the two vampires probably pissed off at his sudden change of heart. Then again, he reasoned quickly, they didn't have working hearts to change.

"Hi," his voice was hoarse. He was so surprised that he had even said anything, he had barely realized he had moved so quickly, and now she was close enough to touch. He cleared it and tried again, "can I sit here?" The girl did not look up from her book but merely nodded, he took his seat beside her. "I'm Jacob Black. You're Embry's cousin, right?"

Rayn put one of her slender fingers in the middle of her page before closing the book, where he could then read 'Paradise Lost'. She fumbled around the sand at her feet with her other hand, at the same time as she looked up to him. Jacob could have gasped when her eyes hit his own. They were differently light and ghostly eyes. Close to, if not identical to the aqua on her shoelaces. Her dark skin and hair set off the contrast. She smiled before waving slightly, the book looking heavy in her hand.

"What's your name?" He asked. He knew the answer, her name was now ringing in his mind, but he had to hear her voice, make conversation...grow to her. He felt something hit his leg, something cold even through his jeans. By his knee was a small notepad and the writing on it read,

_I'm Rayn_

Her writing was elegantly messy, looking as if it were written quickly. Jacob looked at the pad of paper quickly, upset immediately by her lack of response. He looked up to her but saw that she was looking down to the notepad. She turned to the next page.

_And I'm mute._

Jacob's eyes ate the page over twenty times before it sank in. "You can't speak? At all?" She grabbed the pad of paper and the pen that was held between the loops to hold the pages. She scribbled quickly, a small smile playing her lips.

_That __is__ what mute means. No. I don't speak._

What were the chances? Jacob had imprinted on a girl with no voice. No way to communicate with him... He would never be able to hear her voice, her laugh, listen to what could only have been the creaminess of it. _Completely Mute? _She could not hum? Whisper? Sing? Laugh? She could not move her vocal cords at all? These chances were astronomical! He had ever even _met _a mute before, and now he was in love with one?!

He stopped himself. _Whoa there, tiger. You've imprinted. That doesn't mean 'love', it means 'mating'. You know who you're in love with._

He looked behind him, quickly scanning for Bella, only to find Edward holding her, a look of pain in his eyes as she glared right into Jacob's eyes...so she was upset with him. With the situation. She was jealous**. **She would not help him with his problems after all he had done for her...Jacob realized he must have stayed silent for a long moment because Rayn's face furrowed and she began scrawling on the pad of paper again.

_I'm sorry, does my inability to speak __upset you__?_

Jacob almost answered honestly before he noticed the violent underlining and where it was particularly emphasized. She was clearly pointing out the bitterness behind what was thought, by him. Jacob heard him before he saw that Embry had come up and sat beside him where the vampires were to have sat.

"Rayn, I see you've met my good friend, Jacob." He patted Jake on the back, hard. He almost winced from the hidden force behind it. Rayn let out a gush of air, in what Jacob could tell should have been a screech of happiness before she got up and moved from Jacob's side to hug her cousin. He felt his insides squirm. She looked so soft, so fragile...he wanted to hold her, protect her from the strength of his currently angry friend.

"We were just getting acquainted." Jacob told, looking into Embry's eyes at last, a pleading gaze inside of them. Embry noticeably sighed and Jake smiled.

"Well Rayn, if you ever want a ride anywhere, this is the guy you should ask. He can fix anything. Real handyman." Embry commented. He was trying to impress her. Jake smiled at his friends graciousness. Especially since he was so possessive of her in his thoughts. Rayn's gaze once again fell on Jacob, just from the corner of her eye. But he would take it. He looked straight at her and smiled, shrugging off the compliment.

"Sure, sure. Anything." He said sarcastically. "So if you ever break any bones..." Embry raised his eyebrows.

"I'd like to see you try, to be honest." He mocked. Rayn shook with inaudible giggles. Her smile lit up her face, making her eyes squint but sparkle in the darkness before the fire seemed to grow again. Jacob couldn't help but smile, noticing how it made her face light up more than the fire did. Noticing just how beautiful she looked. He shook his head. No. It'd only been five minutes.

"Rayn, is it?" A twinkling voice asked. Jacob's eyes widened slightly, recognizing the hauntingly beautiful voice at once. He looked over his shoulder to see Bella waving almost shyly, Edward behind her. "I'm Bella, this is my husband Edward."

Rayn's eyes widened, she blinked multiple times staring at the unnecessary and unnatural beauty behind the couple before she looked to Embry and lifted her hand to her head in a cup before bringing it down in front of her to clap it against her other hand.

"Yes, husband." Edward smiled politely, "we're married." he answered. So, the bloodsucker also understood sign language. He may be of some use after all...Jacob thought bitterly. Edward threw him a dark glare. He didn't like the situation either, so it seemed.

"Are you-" Bella said at once, shock coating her voice. She stopped herself with a sharp intake of breath, covering her mouth. Rayn responded with a noticeable blush, cramming her lips together to bite on them. It was even more cute of a reaction then when Bella used to blush. Jacob found himself holding back a grin.

"She's mute." Embry grumbled, looking the bloodsucker - Jacob's best friend - straight in the eye. "Hasn't been talking for three years now-" there was a flurry of hand movements from Rayn. "- _four_. Four years." Embry corrected, rolling his eyes dramatically. Bella's head cocked to the side, some of her jealousy seemed to be replaced as the concern began to flood from her eyes.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean-" Rayn responded by shaking her head and holding up her left hand to stop her. "How did it happen?"

An ugly look filled Rayn's face. It was dark, distant, and at the same time slightly reserved. She seemed ready to cry at the same time as lash out and smack Bella for asking the question. Jacob reached towards her, not noticing until his hand was on her shoulder, he felt her body heat through the sweater. She was warm for a human, that was for sure, even if it was cool against him. He compared her skin to that of Bella's and his fathers, noticing the distinct flame underneath the fabric. If he blushed like Bella used to, he would have but substituted it by saying,

"...you okay?" Rayn nodded. She replied by looking to Embry and doing a few short hand movements.

"It's a touchy subject." After he said this, he sighed. "I _hate _being translator! Why can't you all just suck it up and learn sign language...like _really, _it's not that hard! Seth did it." Everyone cracked into laughter. Jacob looked to Edward and Bella, hoping he could see some sign of enjoyment.

Bella's face was displeased. She was not able to laugh like she should have and her face was rough with the charade of humanity. Her newly golden eyes were honed on Jacob's large hand which still currently enveloped Rayn's shoulder. Though she tried to seem normal, her intense stare seemed to alert Rayn, who cleared her throat. It was a strange sound almost as if it were a weak cough. Airy, without any tune to the sound. She bit the inside of her large lips before looking down to his hand. He coughed as well before removing it. Embry rolled his eyes.

"Has anyone seen any of the elders?" He asked. "Are we going to start with the campfire stories, or can we just eat the food now?" Jacob snorted. It had become rule that the food was not to be consumed before the stories were told because it would not be left by the time the first story was over. It was also rule that when there were as many guests and listeners as there was, that there was a limit to how much each person - werewolf or human alike - could eat.

"I'll go look for them." Jacob piped up, standing rather quickly and feeling a little light headed from the rush of blood.

"I'll go with you." Bella's voice rang like Christmas bells. Jacob wanted to groan but held himself back as he started walking, knowing she would catch up to him. They walked down the beach in silence before she looked to him and smiled. He was still stunned by her beauty, leech or not. He knew that those Cullens had an appeal most humans were drawn to, but normally he hated the changes. He reminded himself why there was no more peachiness to her skin, no more fragility to her features, and why her eyes were no longer sincere. They seemed wary, questioning, and too old. Too knowledgeable.

"She is beautiful." Bella sighed, looking back down to the sand at her feet. This must have been habit, because Bella was now one of the most graceful..._things _that Jacob had ever laid his eyes on. She looked like a leopard or possibly even a cheetah. Jacob looked ahead, wondering how long it would take to find someone who he could trick Bella into being an elder if he couldn't find one soon enough.

"You know," she muttered, "I knew this would be hard but..." she took a deep breath, even though it was not necessary. Jacob's new Bella had no need to breathe. Not now that she was immortal. Not now that her organs needed no oxygen, no blood flow, and no normality.

"It's hard." Jacob nodded. "I would know."

"Jacob, I don't want to make this hard on you," her voice was so genuine that it made him divert his harshly determined gaze back to her. She was so radiant...and in the darkness of the moonlit night, he could barely tell the gross golden colour that her eyes had morphed to. "I want you to be happy, I want you to find someone...it's just-"

"Just you didn't want it to be while you were still around?" Jacob guessed, knowing he hit in on the spot as much as she would refuse to admit it. She seemed to wince before shaking her head.

"No...Edward took a look into her thoughts,"

"Yeah, that leech of yours _does _tend to do that." Jacob grumbled, wondering what things he could have possibly seen in her thoughts that she would never be able to voice to Jacob. Never be able to fully explain. Things he would never know, never see, and never understand. His fists balled and shook briefly before he looked back out to the water.

"No, Jacob you don't get it...she's..." Bella fumbled for her words. "She's not... genuine. She's got a lot of skeletons, and they're overflowing from her closet and under her bed." Jacob's interest spiked. "If you could just..."

"I can't turn it off, Bella." Jacob grumbled, knowing that wasn't what she was going to say, but what she had meant. "It's not something that I can just _choose_. Some of us don't have _options _like you did." She winced as if he had burnt her. Her voice came out shaky.

"It's not that, Jake. Honestly, I _want _you to be happy, it's just she-"

"Well, someone decided to choose _for _me, Bella." He said sternly, cutting her off. "You know that I usually don't believe in this type of crud, but the whole werewolf - vampire thing..." He shook his hair out. "Listen. I don't know why it happens but I do know that it's something you can't help. Eventually, I'm going to end up being with this girl...it's been chosen _for _me. It's obvious." He repeated. "Just like how it was so obvious you were going to end up with your bloodsucker husband."

He heard her sharp intake of breath, watched her head sink in guilt. Part of it pleased him, that part that saw her as the monster which replaced the woman he loved. The part of him that realized she was jealous after everything she had done to him. The other part, however, was more relentless. It painted a picture of rosy cheeks, strained jokes, and beautiful chocolate eyes.

"I just want you to be careful." She said quietly. "I'm happy you've found someone, I just wish..." She sighed.

_That it could have been me? _Jacob thought bitterly, almost wishing that it would have been said. He pursed his lips.

"...I just wish that it was someone you could trust." She finished. "I love you, Jake. I want what's best for you...I hope that includes me somewhere." Jacob took his hand, the one that had not touched Rayn's shoulder, and put it gently on her back. Wincing at the chill behind the fabric. He patted her back to cover it, so he had no need to feel it for any length of time.

"Race you back to the campfire? Looks like everything's starting anyway." Jacob raised his eyebrow, hoping she would accept his challenge. Her face brightened automatically before her eyebrows furrowed in perfection.

"That's hardly fair..." She sighed. "I don't want to embarrass you in front of all your friends!" And like that she was off, running not as fast as a human should, but 1/8th of her vampire speed. Jacob took of after her, running back, hoping to God that Edward only said those things to comfort her.

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**A significantly long chapter, longer than most others will probably be. I know I decided to move things quickly, but let's be honest, everyone knows what would have happened. And imprinting is supposed to be quick, spontanious, and unavoidable. The camp fire scene will continue in the next chapter, so you can expect to get some new insight on Rayn at that time...and just as a hint, Bella is going to be there the whole time. **

**I hope you are enjoying what you have so far seen, and I will quickly try and blurt out a good chapter three for you all to sink your teeth into!**


	3. Unexpected

**So, we have just learned that Jacob Black has imprinted on Embry's mute cousin named Rayn Talon. Bella is already showing her jealous side as she tries to tell Jacob to stay away from Rayn, that she is 'bad news', so to say...but how true is that? Is Bella speaking out of jealousy, or does Rayn really have something so terrible to hide? **

**Thank you to and who reviewed in these past couple of days! Please review everyone, I would really appreciate it, it really encourages one's creative juices when one knows people like their taste.**

**Again, I do not own the original Twilight plot or characters. That honour goes to Stephanie Meyer. I only own this spin-off idea and the Talons. **

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By the time Jacob and Bella sat back down at the fire, everyone was in stitches. It took Jake a moment to even come up with the idea to ask _why _everyone was laughing because he noticed that the seats had changed and repositioned themselves. Rachel, Paul, and Leah had left and had been replaced with Edward. Seth was now sitting where Jacob had been perched beside Rayn. Edward beside him on a log of his own, Jacob's father sat closest on the next log, with Sue beside him and Quil beside her. Then Embry sat beside Rayn and all of them seemed to be laughing.

Even from behind her, Jake could see that she was the cause of the laughter. She was using insanely fast hand gestures and Sue was whispering a translation to Billy, who also had a large grin across his face...it made Jake himself smile.

"Move." He said quietly as he shoved Seth out of the way. Seth looked at him, obviously about to argue before Jacob moved in and took his spot. Seth took one look and seemed to rethink his decision. He slowly moved to the spot beside Edward, moving in to say hello to Bella.

Rayn looked over to Jacob, noticing the shift in weight. She smiled at him, grabbing her green notepad and pen. She quickly wrote,

_You may need a translator. Better get Seth interpreting. If you don't, you may look as interested as Edward over there._

Of course by the time Jacob looked, Edward was trying to fight off a smirk, having read the notepad through her thoughts. Jacob looked back to Rayn who was smiling genuinely. Her smile wasn't as large as she could have smiled. Something told him that her smile was too large for her face, too pale against her dark complexion. This smile was tight, the top half of her top teeth showing. Jake found himself smiling anyway, even as he criticized her own.

"I need to learn anyway."

"Don't worry man," Seth pat his back. "I'll interpret _and _teach."

Rayn seemed to like talking about her private school. It was strange to hear the stories through a male voice, but the stories themselves were hilarious. She had a sarcastic humour. Dry. But when someone else would elaborate on a joke, she was not that type of giggler. Instead, she shook with silent laughter which was so gripping she would often have tears in her eyes by the time she could breathe. It was refreshing, Jacob hadn't seen someone laugh like that since his mother had died.

"Well Ms. Talon, how long will you be staying with us?" Billy asked, still chortling from the earlier conversation. Rayn gave a dramatic shrug of her shoulders.

"Actually," Sue said with tight lips. "She plans on staying until her mother and father move into a more...appropriate home." Rayn's eyes widened briefly before her eyes shot to Embry's own.

"I thought you said things were going to start soon," Embry said quickly, looking to Jacob. Jake took the hint automatically, knowing full well the awkwardness Sue had just placed Rayn in.

"I thought so too. Dad?" Jacob asked. Billy took a large stretch, his wheelchair wobbling ominously.

"We start whenever we want to start...I'm the one telling the stories for this group." Billy announced, smiling a bit in confidence. He looked back over the water, determining the time by the sky. "When would _you _like to start? It must be just past nine-thirty."

"We should start now." Seth told with a smile. "Can we start with the spirit warriors?"

"We've heard that one a million times!" Quil complained, throwing his hands in the air. Rayn started scribbling something down before showing it to Embry.

"You don't...well how about the story of the Thunderbird?"

Jacob smiled lightly. He had heard these stories every night as a kid, since his father was one of the best storytellers of the tribe. The Thunderbird had never really been his favourite story, as a child he was sure the only reason his father told him was because it was a story to teach children how to treat others kindly. It was, however, one of the most spiritual besides the spirit warriors that the Quileute legends could hold.

"Ah, the Thunderbird," Billy smiled, relaxing further back into his wheelchair. "I haven't told this one in _years_." Rayn circled her right hand over her heart.

"That means 'please'." Embry said with a smile. Billy seemed to chuckle before further relaxing into his chair.

"Years ago," he began, his voice huskier than normal. Jacob looked out of the corner of his eye to Rayn and couldn't help but smirk. Her eyes were as big as saucers, her hands delicately folded in her lap. The way her hands were placed made her like an old lady with perfect manners, but her face made her look like a four year old being told about the adventures of Rudolph.

"There was a great guardian to the Quileute tribe, known as the Thunderbird. Thunderbird was the Great Spirit's favourite friend, made of lightening, thunder and wind. It's wings stretched over the land, bringing raging storms wherever he flew and a single feather was as long as a canoe paddle decorated in the ravage weather. At that time, we Quileutes lived in the forest, there was no town yet built and there was no beach. The trees grew right to where the water began and some trees drowned within it.

"One day, those trees in the water began to scream. It was unlike any sound the Native's had ever heard. They rushed from their houses to take a look at the sound, watching as the trees wilted. In the distance, on the horizon was the giant bird. The sky was dark under shadow of his lightening sliced wings and the people watched as it battled with a giant whale.

"The whale was white. Much larger than a white whale should be. The people called it Mimlos-Whale, meaning Evil-Whale, and watched as it battled the whale. But no victory ever came from it. For days and days Mimlos-Whale would dive where Thunderbird could not reach, and when he would resurface, Thunderbird would pick him up, only to have to let him go again. You see, the whale was much too heavy for the Thunderbird to carry while he was thrashing...and Thunderbird was tired after flying for so many days without rest."

Jacob turned his eyes to Bella, who was obviously very absorbed in the story. But she was not excited like she once had been. When Bella had listened to the legend of the Spirit Soldiers, Bella had been so excited that Jacob had been worried she may faint because her heart was beating so fast. Now, all she did was tug on Edward, as if showing him what she had already known. Edward, of course did not seem interested. He was probably old enough to have seen all this happen.

Jacob then turned his eyes to the girl beside him, the girl radiating heat in her oversized hoodie and dark blue jeans. He thought it was funny she was covered head to toe and emanating as much heat almost as he was, and yet she did not have the faintest gleam of sweat. Her eyes were still as wide as dinner plates, but her fingers had come to curve on her mouth, her palms held up her chin and her shoulders collapsed so that her elbows could hold her upright. It was as if she were trying to hold back comments that Jacob was trying to realize he would never hear. Shouts of delight or fear that he would never get to acknowledge. She was as tense as one of the wolves were just before they were about to pounce...it made him want to place his hand on her to make sure she didn't run off.

"But as Thunderbird and Mimlos-Whale fought to the death, a great storm followed because of the Thunderbirds wings. The wind was strong enough it blew the trees over when he was struck, and when he got mad days into battle, the sky began to beat down the land with hail. The hail was so big that it was heavy enough to crush many of the villagers."

A quiet gasp came from Rayn. Jake's head snapped towards her, making her bite her lips and curve even more into herself. He wanted to put his hand against her back to stop her from folding anymore into herself. It looked like if she did she may snap in two.

"It ruined many people's homes and many people died. The hail was too big for anyone to go out to try and help Thunderbird, because no one could get into their boats. The hail knocked all the trees closest to the water out of the ground and peoples crops died. All the animals had rushed away from the battle, and it left the tribe with no food. The battle raged on for days, the Quileutes started realizing that if something didn't change soon, they would all starve to death. Some planned to leave and abandon the Great Spirit and his Thunderbird in their time of need, while others remained loyal to Thunderbird and waited with hope.

"But Thunderbird was cunning and knew that the Great Spirit's people would die if the battle was not won, so he waited above the water for so long that when the whale came up. When the whale finally had to release the water from it's mouth, Thunderbird, who had been waiting for him to surface, used the lightening from his wings to electrocute the Mimlos-Whale, who got so warm that he was cooked in the water of the ocean as if he were in a giant pot."

An airy laugh came from Rayn, it sounded almost victorious. Jacob tried not to smile, and tried even harder not to look at her. He couldn't help glancing out of his peripheral vision to see how enraptured/captivated she was by the story. Jacob turned back to his father, who had not paused for breath.

"When the Mimlos-Whale stopped writhing, Thunderbird wrapped him in his talons to carry him up the mountain. But Thunderbird had waited so long over the water, that he was too tired to carry him very far. So, when he couldn't lift the Mimlos-Whale anymore, he dropped it on the land, creating a giant dent that soon filled with the boiling water of the ocean."

"That's supposed to be how the cliffs were made," Jacob whispered to Rayn, even though he tried to make it seem like it was to no one in particular. Rayn looked over her shoulder to the cliff's down the beach and when she turned back her mouth was in a state of pure astonishment.

"That's right Jacob." Billy smiled with pride, apparently happy that his son remembered all the old legends. "All the villagers rushed down the new cliffs to get to the Mimlos-Whale and try and help Thunderbird...well, some of them had that plan. The villagers began cutting up the whale so that Thunderbird could easily carry it off to it's nest once it had finished resting at the top of the cliff.

"Mimlos-Whale was so big that it took all day and all night to cut the whale into pieces of blubber...and as some of the villagers kept cutting, other villagers decided to take matters into their own hands. You see, the villagers hadn't eaten for almost two weeks now, and they were starved. These villagers were the villagers who decided to try and abandon the Great Spirit and Thunderbird and they thought that they were entitled to some of the Thunderbird's feast. So, with the cloak of the night, some of the hungry villagers went and ate what they thought they deserved of the Mimlos-Whale."

Jacob had never liked that part of the story. It seemed like a very unfair statement...the people weren't traitorous if they needed food to survive. And the Thunderbird _had _taken all their food away from them. The point of the story is, of course, not to steal, especially from the Great Spirit...but it still made no sense to him that they should be punished for it. They were doing what was needed to survive...isn't that what the werewolves did when they hunted? Isn't that what the werewolves did when they killed vampires? Taking lives to improve others?

"When the rest of the village woke in the morning, they found all the villagers who had eaten the Mimlos-Whale had been turned into stone. Some villagers begged Thunderbird to bring their loved ones back, but when the Thunderbird awoke to see some of his prize taken from him, he flapped his giant wings so powerfully that all the stone traitors fell into the water, sticking out like giant rocks for all those who dared enter the water from the sacred cliffs.

"Thunderbird did not wait any longer before he took what was left of the Mimlos-Whale and left the Quileutes to their grief. As soon as Thunderbird flew over the vast ocean away from the tribe, the storm left and the sun shone brightly over the villagers who were left. The Great Spirit had spared them just as the Thunderbird had. But to this day, nothing grows where the Mimlos-Whale fought but instead stays the ashy sand of the lightening which took the whale and changed the villagers."

It was a long moment before anyone spoke. Billy Black was known as the best storyteller of the tribe and everyone loved to hear from him. Jacob watched the faces of the people around the fire. Bella had a large smile on her face while Edward seemed to be nodding towards someone's inner thoughts. Seth was watching Billy, as if the next legend would fall out of his mouth the next time it opened. Jacob's father watched the fire. Quil was whispering something to Sue who was nodding with a tight lipped smile. Embry was watching Rayn as he tried to be covert about smiling. Rayn was watching Billy, looking as if she hadn't blinked.

"I wish _I _had history like that." Bella said to break the silence. Sue looked very aggravated at the interruption, Jacob just raised his eyebrows. Wouldn't falling in love with a vampire and choosing artificial death over a well-controlled werewolf be legend enough for her?

Edward shook his head, silently answering the hypothetical question.

"What story next then?" Billy asked, looking away from Sue's very obvious distaste. People began to mutter the stories they wanted to hear most, Jacob just watched them all with interest. Rayn watched them all with glossy eyes.

"Are you okay, Rayn?" Jacob asked quietly as his father began to tell another legend. He touched her shoulder as she cringed and scrunched her face. She seemed to cringe away from him as he felt violent tremors wave over her muscles. She grabbed her notepad with much difficulty, dropping the pen multiple times.

_Long day. Cold. Tired._

She wrote simply. It seemed that her fingers were too numb to write any more. Jacob looked to her hands, looking very dry and pale from the cold. He had the urge to take her small hands in his and pull her closer to him to keep her warm...but he knew the thought was wrong. He hadn't known her for three hours. These...these _longings _were wrong. Instead, he shoved the log closer to the fire, knocking Embry off as it was done. Embry gave him a long glare and finger before sitting back down on the log with Quil, leaving the two on the log alone.

"Better?" Jacob asked, looking down at her hands which she had tried to inconspicuously place closer to the fire. She nodded her head slowly, her eyes not leaving the flickering light. She didn't move after that, but seemed to listen intently to Billy's stories.

Billy first told the legend of how the Quileutes came to be, soon followed by the story of the Spirit Warriors. By that time, Rayn's eyes were glued to the fire and drooping drastically. She had a long battle of trying to keep her eyes open. She tried looking at Billy a couple times to keep herself occupied, but it almost seemed she was embarrassed and had to look away so he didn't think he was the reason she was so drowsy. Jacob tried to subtly watch as her head started to droop as well as her eyes. He watched as her hands went from flat against her legs to beginning to naturally curl up against her will. He watched as her legs started falling towards him, slowly imploding and falling to the side. He realized quickly that she was almost asleep and she would soon probably fall against him.

His body went rigid. He found himself moving against his will to accommodate his shoulder to her height and to where she seemed she would properly land. He moved his legs closer together so she wouldn't fall and wake up if her legs fell against his too quickly. He noticed he became a mathematical genius as he pinpointed all the weak points and how she would fall. At the same time, he argued with himself. Four hours. Four hours of knowing this girl and he was doing _more _than making a move. He was accommodating for her. Adapting for her environment. It seemed wrong. It seemed unnatural.

She lolled and withered within two minutes of this repositioning. She landed a little off course to where he seemed to, closer to his shoulder than his chest. He tried to look shocked for the dignity of everyone around him, but saw Edward smirk and avert his eyes. He looked down at Rayn, her face covered by a bouquet of curls, and felt her slowly curl closer to him.

Her body was cold, he could feel it through the fabric as if he was touching Bella. Okay, maybe he was exaggerating. She may not have been _that _cold, but her body temperature had dropped a significant amount. Jacob adjusted his one arm ever so slightly to be behind her back. Almost around her side as if he were holding her, but not quite enough to make it so he could not deny that later. Jacob was vaguely aware that Billy had chuckled in the middle of the story and took a moment before he had continued. He felt Rayn give a giant shiver before she went completely limp.

Had it not been for the flurry of sand in the fire, no one would have heard Edward jump out of his seat like fire had been placed under it. He was standing really stoically, a look of pain on his marble face, as it seemed he looked anywhere but towards Bella. His eyes glanced to Rayn briefly and back to Jacob, narrowing his darkening eyes as his cell phone began vibrating loudly in his pocket. It seemed so loud because all other sound seemed to stop.

"Excuse me," Edward said lucidly, taking the cell phone from his pocket. "I really have to take this." And before Bella could ask who it was, he had bolted away from the fire. Bella gave one look of apology to Billy and looked to Jacob. She waited until Jacob met her eyes before she narrowed her own slightly and looked down at Rayn. She soon got out of her seat soon.

"Thank you for the lovely night. I hope we see you again soon." She said with a shimmering voice before she, too, bolted off into the darkness. Jacob looked around at everyone else with wide eyes of confusion. Sue let out a snobbish grunt while Billy let out a low hum of intrigue. Jake felt his eyes slowly flutter down to the mane of curls and furrowed his brow. He looked back up to Embry.

Embry barely met his glance before he looked away, letting out a long gust of air.

"Let's get her home."

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**Oh Yeah, that just happened. So, why on earth would Edward react so suddenly and so violently? Was it really Rayn who was the cause, after all, it wasn't only her that he looked towards. Does Embry know what it is? **

**I cannot give myself the credit for coming up with idea of Thunderbird and Mimlos-Whale. I did some study of the Quileute Legends for them. All the ideas were seperate however, such as how the two fought, the stone people, the hunger, the people who stole the meat...I gave it a creative twist and turned it into one big legend with a few additions like the cliffs and the rocks. **

**I hope you enjoyed, please review! I hope to have the next one out soon!**

**--Egypt**


	4. Scarring

**Hello readers! I know that I just updated a little while ago but I was so pleased with the amount of reviews that I just felt I had to continue. As well, I thought it was very unfair that we were left in such a strange place in the story...so, I am putting a little bit of a filler in. But don't worry! This is ****good**** filler. This, is fluffy - but angst-fluff. There is not any action, it actually happens over the course of about fifteen minutes, but we really get a look into what Jacob is thinking about the whole situation. I hope you enjoy this chapter, and depending on my inspiration and the amount of reviews, I will update soon! **

**Again, the original Twilight characters and ideas belong to the brilliant Stephanie Meyer. I am just a pawn to continue the story in the way that her dreams should have got before they came nightmarish with Renesmee...I mean, I'm just here to make it ever fluffier with the fluffier characters. **

**Okay, enough with the bad puns. **

**On with the story!**

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Jacob tried not to watch the girl snuggling into him. He was trying to concentrate on how cold the sand was against his feet, how cold the wind was as it hit his face. However, his eyes kept flickering down to the girl in his arms, who was snuggling further into his chest with each gust of wind. He tried not to worry about the cold she was going through, he tried not to worry about her warm body which was slowly warming up because of his own.

He tried to compare her to that of Bella, to the woman he knew he loved. He tried to look down on her and all her flaws. He was not a fool, he saw them. This girl wasn't an angel. She wasn't perfection...not like Bella-

Jacob winced, not like Bella was _now. _

But when Bella was human, when she was _normal_, she had been stunning. Her hair had been beautiful locks of mahogany. It had been long and smooth, it shone with red in the sunlight. She had always smelt of conditioner...some sort of mint. It had been soothing and somehow relaxing. Jacob smelled the air and could pick out Embry's smell from Rayn's instantly. All Embry - all any of the werewolves - ever smelt like was the woods. Rayn's hair was the most prominent smell on her. He could smell some sort of salon conditioner - possibly orchid, but on her hair lingered a strong scent of campfire. Something told him that this would be an everyday smell. He found himself breathing in a couple times, pinpointing the smell before he stopped breathing through his nose for a long while.

Well, he reasoned with himself, Bella's skin had been flawless. It had been the epitome of peaches and cream. Purely white, but not translucent like that of the bloodsucker she had become. Her face had commonly had a red glow because she had constantly embarrassed herself, making her look as sweet as a candy cane. Rayn's skin, or what he could see of it, was slightly blemished. It was dark, but had a strange tinge to it. The Quileute boys had dark russet skin, Jacob's was darkest of all, but Rayn's skin was more brown. Almost like Quil's. It was dark, but not as dark as his.

While Bella's skin had always smelt clean and of fresh soap - no matter what condition she was in - Rayn's was a strange mix. It was musky, a cloudy smell which made her natural mix of cinnamon and vanilla fade into a natural sour and sweet scent. Jacob hated admitting to himself that it was nicer than what...was... Bella was now too sweet. Her smell was unnaturally sweet, like condensed sugar.

And Bella's breath, like peppermint. It always had that fresh smell no matter what she had eaten. Jacob watched the puffs of steam coming every now and then from the body in his arms. He could smell green apples, and assumed it was her breath. It didn't smell like candy, it smelt like the natural sour scent...

Everything about Rayn looked _natural. _She felt _natural. _

But what was Bella now? She was unnatural. Her skin was too white, too smooth, too flawless. Her eyes were to amber, too secretive, too discrete. Her words were too well thought, too in genuine, too light. She was too sweet. Too fake. His Bella had never been particularly sweet...she had just been Bella...and then her skin had been replaced with sugar. Everything had been replaced and left his Bella...empty. Gone...and dead. Well, undead.

He missed Bella's eyes. The brown eyes, the eyes so deep you could get lost in. The wise, sarcastic and wistful eyes that had once looked on him when she had known - and not known - that she loved him. Rayn's eyes weren't like that. They were secretive, taunting, and at the same time completely honest and genuine. Animated, too animated, to the point that he felt like he was drowning. But not like Bella's eyes...those dark eyes. The memory of which had dug his grave, and with the memory of them felt like he was falling into it...

"She's staying in the toy room. We moved everything around." Embry's voice cut into the silence, Jacob took in a deep breath of surprise. He looked down to Rayn to see if it had woken her. "Don't worry about that." Embry chuckled to himself, his dark eyes turning back to the tattered house. "When that girl sleeps, she's out like a light. I doubt time has changed that."

Jacob walked slowly over the rotting wooden porch and waited for Embry to unjam the front door. It was a loud bang when it opened: Rayn's breathing didn't even change.

"No kidding." Jacob mumbled to himself, ducking his head to go through the door. He was tall enough that he had to do that with all doors now, he wondered if he'd ever stop growing, or if his constant growth spurt was because of his werewolf genes. The floor creaked lightly under his footsteps as he went through the house.

The house itself was ripping apart at the seams, the wood smelled decayed and painted with multiple layers to cover the stench. He could smell that the dishes hadn't been washed for the day, he could see that the doors were barely hanging on to the hinges.

They walked through the kitchen, past the living room to the left and through to the cramped hallway. Jacob backed himself through the first door on the right, smelling the shredding wallpaper. He looked around the dark room, noticing that a wardrobe had been awkwardly placed on the uneven carpet and a single bed had been placed on the wall closest to the kitchen. There was a new navy comforter overtop of the bed and an old beaten pillow. The window just to the left of the bed cast moonlight onto the smothering blanket. A large, black suitcase was near the head of the bed on the maroon carpet, and on the new blanket were two old stuffed animals.

The first was a hippopotamus. It was purple and newer than the other. Maybe only a couple years old. It's lavender skin looked to have once been silky soft, but it seemed to have been loved almost a little too much, so the smoothness was leaving it. It's one eye had a crack in it.

Jacob looked to the second with raised eyebrows. It was a wolf. More of a husky, but to toymakers they were one in the same. It was black and brown with bright blue eyes. It was much bigger than the hippo, and it's hair was matted because of it's age. It looked as if this had been given when Rayn was a small child, if not at birth. It smelt old, and it looked well-loved.

"I know you probably don't want to - but put her down, Jake." Embry's voice taunted from behind him. Jacob took a deep breath and swallowed the saliva that suddenly built in his throat. He walked through the small room, happy that in Embry's small house they at least had high ceilings.

Jake bent down and carefully, very carefully, placed Rayn onto the navy covers, which bent under her body and began engulfing her like a deadly undertow. Jake watched lightly, not quite taking his arms out from underneath her as he closely examined her face...

She was beautiful. Strangely beautiful. The smell of campfire, cinnamon, vanilla and green apple swirled around him, making him want to drown in the water beside her. Her eyes twitched as she dreamed, her lips moving slightly in the midst of conversation.

What was so special about her? What was so different about this girl that he imprinted on her, instead of on the woman he already loved?

He watched her sleep for about ten seconds more before being so overwhelmed by a sudden gaze towards her lips that he reeled backwards. Embry made a disappointed yet shocked laugh of awkwardness before putting one of his hands on Jake's shoulder.

"C'mon Jake. This is something we should talk about." Jake walked backwards out of the door, watching as the moonlight slowly slid over Rayn's face while she turned and burrowed the stuffed animals into her chest.

Jake walked outside with his head bowed, he knew his way around this house expertly. They had been friends for however many years. Jake felt Embry open the front door again and sit on the edge of the porch, Jake followed.

"This is messed up." Jacob groaned. Embry sighed. "You know I didn't-"

"Man, you don't have to explain yourself to me." Embry said in an unreadable tone. He took a very deep breath. "I mean, if it were going to be anyone, I'm glad it's you." Jake furrowed his brow and looked over to his friend. The moonlight was just strong enough to show that Embry was looking up towards the sky. His brown eyes looked more hazel with the intense light shining through them.

"Why me?"

"You've always had the best control." Embry told, looking to him briefly before looking back towards the moon. "You're always the one who can keep your cool. You're one of the best fighters too...you could keep care of her."

Jacob looked down to his hands which were wrapped around his legs. He gave a look of confusion to them as he asked, "What does she need me to fight _off_, Embry?" Embry let out a shaky breath. It made Jake look towards him. "Em," Jake said slowly. "What could have freaked that bloodsucker out like that tonight, and why did it happen tonight?"

"Listen, Jake. Don't get the wrong idea." Embry said quickly, his words somehow still slow and deliberate. "Rayn's a good kid. But as much as I hate to say it, Leah was right...she always has been..._weird._"

"Weird?" Jake repeated in interest, turning his body slightly so he could face Embry. Embry leaned against one of the piles connecting the porch to the roof, but did not look into Jake's eyes.

"Weird. Little things. Childish things...she just never had a lot of fear. She'd pick up dead crows to bury them or she'd go into the woods to go looking for bears to give them honey..."

"Little kids do stuff like that all the time." Jake huffed after the sentence. Why was he defending her? He barely knew her. That did sound odd, so he shouldn't protect her. He didn't love her.

"Not like she did it." Embry said, and Jacob could tell with one glance that he was remembering something Jacob didn't know. It seemed, however, that Embry decided to tell him. "She found one once...a bear." He shivered, but Jacob knew there was no way he would be cold. "She wanted to give it honey and food...she said like Yogi bear."

"...W-what's the catch?" Jacob could feel the fear rising and the hair on his arms rise. Embry seemed devastated.

"She got lucky, of course." Embry said quickly. "But she found the bear, and the bear didn't like that she wanted to feed it the food slowly. She didn't get that hurt...we figure that- that it just pawed at her until she dropped her knapsack, but..." Embry had to stop, his voice was quivering in a way Jacob had never heard. "Her arm was all ripped up. She still has bad scarring."

"On her arm?" Jacob asked in shock. He hadn't seen anything on her hands or face...then again, she had been so covered up.

"Yeah, it-it kind of reminds me of Emily." Embry sighed. "She got really lucky."

There was a long silence. Jacob found himself imagining a little girl with short dark curls and bright aqua eyes standing before a large grizzly bear. She imagined the pink backpack falling to the ground as the bear took a giant swing at her and she held out her arm to protect herself. Her forearm getting torn so badly that it was unable to ever fully heal.

"Okay," Jake said slowly, breaking the silence. The crickets had been getting on his nerves anyway. "Doesn't really answer why I'd need to protect her and what happened with the leech." Embry did not move. "What freaked him out the night she happened to come here, Em?"

"Listen man, I don't know what he could have seen." Embry said, obviously irritated. "As I said, Rayn's a weird girl. I've been her cousin for nearly seventeen years, and I've acted as her brother for four of them. Her brother went in a bad way, so bad I barely know everything. Cullen could have seen anything." He said again. It sounded like he was trying to convince himself as much as he was trying to convince Jacob. "She's a good kid. When Leo died,"

Jacob didn't really know about the Talons. He was sure that he had heard of them around the tribe, and he knew he had heard about them from Leah, Seth, and Embry. But he had no idea how Leo, Rayn's older brother, had died.

"Embry...how did he die?" Jake asked slowly, making sure that Embry could hear how he felt inclined, but not comfortable in asking. Embry finally looked to Jake, his eyes blazing, but not in anger.

"Dunno," he said with a slur. "I know it was an accident. Something in the forest, that's why Rayn likes going in them so much..."

"But you said-" Jake began, Embry cut him off.

"I _do _know," He interrupted. "That Sky and Jason blamed Rayn for Leo's death. They found her with his body...it-it was a closed casket." Embry was quiet for a long time. By the glossy and troubled look behind his eyes, Jacob could tell that Embry was reliving his memories. Memories that Jake would never be able to hear Rayn confide to him. He shook his head. Friend first.

"Jake," Embry said so suddenly that Jacob jumped slightly. Jake looked to his friend to see his palm digging into his forehead. Embry did not look at him when he spoke, Jake did not think he needed to. "I want you to take care of her."

"It's nothing against her, Em, but I don't know this kid..." Jacob began. Embry began to laugh.

"Jake, don't try to kid yourself. We've felt how strong it is with Sam and Emily, Quil and Claire, Paul and Rachel, Jared and Kim...be your stubborn self. You can _try _to run away from this as much as you want, but Jake. This is too tough to beat. Even for you."

"It doesn't matter." Jake said with a growl. He looked Embry right in the eye as he started to explain, "Bella-"

"-is married. Bella is a _leech. _Bella won't love you like Rayn will." Embry explained with a fiery gaze. Jacob held the gaze, trying to look menacing. He thought about Bella, the new Bella, the Bella who had topaz eyes and the pale skin. Bella with the perfect hair and the sickeningly sweet smell. Bella with the disturbing grace and the beautiful co-ordination. Bella who was perfect...perfectly bloodthirsty.

And then there was Rayn. Innocent, beautiful, strange, little Rayn....Rayn with skin that made her look human. Rayn with flaws that showed against her skin. Rayn with weaknesses. Rayn with the eyes you could drown in. Rayn with a heart that she could give to him...a real heart. A live heart. A beating heart.

Jacob shook his head, trying to stop the frustrated tremors which curled down his spine. He looked to Embry with what he could only imagine to be large, hopeless eyes and shook his head, taking in a deep breath.

"Embry?" He asked, waiting for some sort of response. Embry met his gaze to show his attention. "How do you know I'll love her?"

"Because that's what imprinting is. If you weren't so stubborn, you'd realize you already do." Embry said with a chuckle, but it stopped short when he saw Jacob's furrowed brow and serious expression.

"Embry?" He asked again, only to hear a sigh of response. Jacob looked back to his friend. "How do you know she'll love me back?"

A smile crept onto Embry's dark lips as he looked out to the moon, seeming to find the perfect words to explain his answer. Embry then looked back to Jacob and stood up, patting his back on the way. He walked towards the door and opened it before turning back to Jacob.

"How could she not?" He asked rhetorically. Embry then walked through the dark door frame and closed the door to the conversation.

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**Well, I hope that you all enjoyed that fluffy chapter. I thought it was a really cute ending personally, but that may just be because it was my imagination. Let me know what you thought and I will update soon. So, what did you think about Rayn? A little more insight into her...and yet we still haven't had a lot of serious time with her - but trust me, it's coming soon! I already have half a chapter of complete and utter fluff written out, I just need to find a good segue into when it comes into the overall story! Thank you so much for your input and devotion and I hope you enjoyed this chapter and all others!**

**--Egypt**


	5. Racing Heart

**Hello dear readers! Sorry it has been so long since my last update, usually it doesn't take me this long. I just would like to thank everyone for reviewing so far I really appreciate it. Those special people are:**

paris tokyo, coco swift, Aleksiina, dazzled by emmett, **and **J.

**As you know, I only own the Talons and all other random upcoming characters that were not in the original **_**Twilight **_**series written by S. Meyer. I would, however, not mind stealing them. Like Jacob. I would like him to be mine… anyway. Here's another chapter. **

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Jacob's head was pounding with exhaustion from such little sleep the night before. He groggily tried to remember what had kept him so restless, when he wanted to sleep he always slept. A face filled his imagination. Dark skin, curly hair, bright aqua eyes...His eyes snapped open suddenly, wondering if she was real before he took in his messy and cramped room. His things. His memories. But not his imprint.

Jacob shook himself awake, not taking any time to feel groggy in his bed. He knew that if he did he would fall back asleep, and a sudden cramping of his stomach told him he was hungry. Jacob stretched one more time before he wandered his way out into the kitchen. At the kitchen table sat his father, reading the newspaper. Jacob looked at him briefly as he walked to the refrigerator and took in the lack of food.

"'Morning." Billy said loudly from behind him. Jacob winced from how loud his voice was and mindlessly thought that this was what a hangover felt like. He took in the little contents in the fridge.

"'Morning, Dad." He replied absently.

"You look tired." Billy's voice did not, however, seem concerned as this was said. Jacob shrugged his shoulders.

"Couldn't sleep last night." Jacob grabbed the only _real _food in the fridge, half of a leftover ham, and took it over to the microwave. Not that he knew what he was doing once he was there. As he put it on for 4 minutes, he turned his back and leaned on the counter, watching his father.

"Mhm." Billy said, smiling slightly. "Was it because of the campfire last night?"

"Uh - yeah? Sorta?" Jacob answered suspiciously, his eyes narrowing.

"'Sorta'? Isn't that a yes or no question?" The mocking smile on Billy Black's face told Jacob all there was to know...and that was simply that _Billy _knew all there was to know about the Rayn-situation.

"Who told you?" Jacob asked accusingly. Billy's smile widened to the point all his bright teeth were shining in the sunlight streaming in from the kitchen window.

"No one told me anything." Billy held up his hands in defeat. "Nobody had to. Seems you and she are going to be close though, doesn't it?" He asked, his hands falling down.

"Rayn Talon and I do not know each other." Jacob growled, more to himself than his father. Billy shrugged his shoulders animatedly.

"Rayn Talon and Jacob Black don't _need _to." Billy laughed. "It was destined to be this way, Jacob. I don't understand why you're the _only _wolf who can't see it."

"Because, _Dad,_" Jacob said pointedly. "Rayn is no one. Rayn is a kid who knows nothing about me. Rayn is someone who doesn't realize that I _love _someone else."

"Someone else who seemed to realize there was no hope last night." Billy muttered to himself, but it seemed he made it purposely loud enough for Jacob to hear. "Why did she leave with him last night? The Bella you love wouldn't have done _that._" He frowned to himself and met Jacob's eyes. Jake was surprised to see that his thought seemed sincerely upset.

"I don't know, Dad. Embry thinks it has something to do with my _imprint._"

"She has a name, which you seemed to be _dying _to say earlier." Billy argued.

"Why couldn't you be like every other parent and disapprove with at least _one _girl I say I like?" Jacob scoffed. Billy passed the idea by.

"Because usually you like really great girls. Besides, there's only really been an important two. And though you don't remember, Jake, when you asked me to keep Bella away during the beginning of this...I did my job." Jacob remembered listening to the coldness in his father's voice when Bella would endlessly call and ask to speak to him. Billy would make up all these excuses and she had believed none of them. Billy had respected her for it, and it had torn Jacob apart.

"She is my _imprint_. Not the love of my life." Jacob growled, straightening himself up a bit to make it more punctual of an ending to the conversation. Billy's eyebrows raised.

"Only because you won't let her _into_ your life yet. Once you do, she will be." Jacob felt a frustrated growl rip through his throat and it wasn't long before he was near the front door.

"I'm going to Sam's." He announced, already starting to untie his sweatpants. He heard his father say something about the ham in the microwave, but Jacob felt his pride tug him forward. To go back would be to give in. Besides, if he went back in the conversation might continue and no ham was worth _that._ He shrugged off his sweatpants and tied them to his ankle mid-transformation.

Jacob felt the shivers run up his spine, as if each hair and peach fuzz on his back were raising in the cold. But he knew from having seen the others transform that the hair he felt was not really there. But it soon would be. He felt his hands start to curl into a more powerful and flat paw as his legs started to take on a different shape, as if someone were massaging him into a clay statue. He felt the hair start growing from each pore as his face scrunched with discomfort and elongated to a large and dreadful snout. His ears started pointing more and growing up towards the sky while he felt his spine start to shift and also elongate to break through the skin holding back his tailbone to turn into a long, fluffly tail. And then, with one check that his pants were attached ot his ankle, Jacob ran.

Jacob ran for a long time before he realized that he could only hear Seth in his head, who was purposely not thinking of talking to him. He could feel the avoidance and he could see flashes of Rayn in Seth's mind. So, Seth didn't want to talk to him? Fine. Jacob could live with that.

As he reached Emily's house, he could hear the guys were out of breath and laughing, their feet shuffling in the grass. He heard something, possibly a ball, being kicked around. Jacob transformed back into human form, hearing that the pattern of footfalls seemed to call for it. He changed in the bushes, as was always done to ensure that Emily was not _too _scarred from the ordeal. He was so eager to talk to Sam (and possibly Embry) that he had to stop dead and was happy he had already finished tying his sweatpants.

It took a long while for Jacob to register what he was seeing. Rayn. Here. With the boys. Playing soccer.

He tried not to, he tried to force his eyes to look for Sam, but Jacob couldn't tear his eyes from her back. She was wearing a three quarter sleeved shirt, which didn't quite cover all of the skin on her stomach and back and she was wearing sweatpants with elastics on the bottom that she seemed to have drawn up to her knees, showing her brown skin and her white and aqua shoes. Rayn was crouched animalistically, waiting for the ball. Her head did small, jerky movements to make sure she followed the ball and she held herselt ready to strike at the deflating ball.

"She's fairly good." Emily's quiet and kind voice rang from his right. Jacob jumped at the sudden interruption in his stare and her scarred side, her left side, tried to smile at him. It still looked like a grimmace. Jacob, however, barely noticed after all this time and went to sit down next to her...on her right, she always felt self conscious when people sat on her left. Felt that people couldn't take her seriously enough, it seemed.

"Is she?" Jacob asked quietly, wondering what a girl's interpretation on this whole situation may be. Emily smiled, looking back out at the sceen. There was a loud grunt that also drew Jacob's attention forward as Rayn stole the ball from Jared with a flick of her foot. She began sending it town toward Quil, the goalie.

"I'd be lying if I were to say they haven't been going easy on her-" Emily started, right before Rayn tried to make a shot. She was 10 feet away from Quil now, her left foot slammed against the tattered soccer ball and lowly whistled to Quil's low left side...so low, in fact, that he barely blocked it. There was a loud sigh from Rayn as she kicked the ground in disappointment. Quil just laughed and threw it across the field to Jared.

"But she is making it really difficult for them to keep themselves in order." Emily tried to hold back her smile as she looked back at Jacob, who acknowledged her hesitantly. "Paul almost lost himself when she got a goal on him...we decided it'd be best if we switched him to field after that." Jacob smiled at the thought of Paul being knocked down a couple of pegs by a girl, but it was quickly interrupted by a compression in his chest.

It was as if the image of Paul fazing suddenly horrified him. He looked at Emily from his peripheral vision. Knowing what he was not seeing from her profile. A mutilated body, an attacked victim. He felt a flash of worry, what if one of them had done something like that to Rayn's beauty? Beauty that, no matter how much he tried to deny it, was evidently there? Could he handle something like that? Could he refrain from attacking his brothers in vengence for a girl he _knew _he didn't love...?

Jacob and Emily watched as Rayn grabbed the ball away from Jared who was almost at Leah on her net. She kicked the ball so hard with her left foot, something Jacob took note of, Quil came out of net five feet to catch it. A far kick. A hard kick. Quil dropped the ball almost immediately in shock.

Bella couldn't do that.

"You know Jake," Emily started wistfully. "I'm glad you've imprinted at last. If anyone needs that companionship right now, it's you." Jacob looked at her again, taking in her sincere and wholesome eyes. He shook his head to rid himself of a sudden swelling from where the compression had just been.

"Imprinting doesn't mean companionship or love." Jacob replied moodily. "It means a better way to pass the wolf gene." He did not look at her.

"So Sam theorizes." Emily objected calmly. "But imprinting is different to the imprintees, and _I _love _him. _There are only a few animals who will stay with their mates and protect them forever." Emily turned towards him and smiled. "And unlike humans, wolves are one of those few."

"They can also eat their young." Jacob countered emotionlessly. Emily sighed.

"If you were to stop fighting this it would not only be pleasant, but the most wonderful thing you have felt, you know." Her mouth was turned down, in something that if Jacob were to look at her whole face would resemble the curve to her mouth on the scarred side. He rubbed one of his temples briefly.

"I've already been in love, Emily." He informed. She did not argue.

The two watched the soccer game in silence from then on. Paul, barely holding anything back, scored on Leah about six minutes later. Jacob froze rigidly as he noticed that Rayn started walking over to where Jacob and Emily sat. She reached for a small drawstring bag she had and Emily handed to her. It looked like Rayn blew her a kiss, but because she was mouthing words Jacob saw that she was saying thank you. Rayn took a lime green bottle out of the fushia bag and eagerly and drank the entire thing before taking a deep breath and turning away. She was glistening in a light sweat...Bella could no longer do that either.

Rayn grabbed her notepad and scribbled quickly.

_Embry told me you carried me home and put me to bed last night. Thanks._

Despite himself and all his raging conscious thought, Jacob smirked. "No need for thanks...how do you say your welcome in sign?" Rayn smiled wide, her azure eyes brightening as she quickly pointed to him and brought her hand towards her after holding it away from her body. Jacob repeated and when he did so, her smile showed off both rows of white teeth. Her smile was much too large for her face, and yet it was absolutely adorible...

"You are very good." Emily told Rayn softly, interrupting Jacob's thoughts on her smile. "Do you like sports in general or just soccer?" Rayn thought about the question and shrugged, her nose crinkling.

"Do you play others?" Jacob asked. Rayn smiled and went back to writing.

_4 fun. I do more Track&Field stuff. High/Long jump, sprints, javellin._

She shoved the notepad into the waist of her sweatpants. Jacob's eyebrows raised. Bella could not have done any of that either...and that was something that Jacob had never seen a girl - other than Leah, but could Leah really be considered a girl? - be able to do before. He smiled towards her.

"Sprints? Not Long Distance?" He asked with a raised eyebrow. She shook her head. She one hand on her chest and one hand on her stomach and pulsed them before putting them against her colar bone and tugging down twice.

"Does that mean 'asthma'?" Emily asked quietly only to get a nod from Rayn.

"Astma...okay, so sprints. Are you fast?" Rayn looked to Jacob with a shy smile and nodded slowly. She seemed so self conscious. The same as her composure last night. Something told him, however, from how she could make everyone laugh around the fire that comfort may come with time. He narrowed his eyes playfully. "Then we should race. Just sprints...I'm more long distance. That may give you the advantage."

Emily giggled, watching the exchange in apparent joy. Rayn was shyly intregued. She looked at Jacob briefly and then back to Emily, as if asking with her eyes how difficult it would be. She nodded slowly whilst still looking at Emily and looked back to Jacob, making it a statement that she would. Against himself again, Jacob smiled.

"Alright," Jacob said loudly, drawing everyone's attention over to their corner. Embry's eyes shot up as he looked between the three of them and looked to Jacob slightly narrowed. Leah was glaring. "The two of us are going to race."

"Race?" Quil asked slowly. "You and Rayn?" Rayn nodded along with Jake. He looked to her and her attention immediately was on him. _Strange, _he thought briefly.

"So, we'll sprint. Let's say...to the woods over there?" He pointed to the opposite woods from where he had run there. "That's about...500 meters?"

Rayn looked away from him, narrowing her eyes to try and see exactly how far he meant. Five hundred meters, he knew it well. He had grown very good with measurement since he had begun transforming. She placed her hands on her hips, her left hand fingers tapping her side in thought. Jacob watched them briefly but stopped. As she turned around to look at him.

She walked past him and grabbed a stick, creating a line on the ground ten feet behind where he currently stood. She stood behind it, firing off more hand signs.

"Translation?" He asked briefly, looking around to the people behind him. Embry smirked as he answered,

"She says that you shouldn't underestimate her like you are." He smiled at Embry, who was smirking and looked back to Rayn who was trying to withold her pleasure from her face.

"Who said I was underestimating you?" He asked mockingly. She smiled slightly and took her finger to tap it to her forehead. Then she took it and signed to Embry. Something about time, since she had tapped her wrist. Embry jogged over to the edge of the woods, scratching a long line with his foot. Leah came over to the start line, bumping Jacob's shoulder on the way.

"If you let her beat you, you won't only lose this, but also your dignity." She said lowly, going behind the two. "Alright, sprint to the finish as fast as you can, Embry is timing." She said in a monotone and unenthusiasticly booming voice. "On the count of three. One..." Jacob bent down, following Rayn's lead. He took her take a deep breath. "Two..._Three!_"

Leah's scream was enough to quickly startle him into jumping up onto his legs as he ran forward. He did not run quite full speed and he made sure to keep attention to how Rayn was doing.

She was fast. Obviously, he was faster...but not by much. Her strides were long considering she wasn't that tall and her feet were very quiet against the ground. Her hair, suddenly in a long ponytail, swayed behind her and her grip tightened on a blue and white tube in her hand as she set her aqua eyes on Embry at the finishline. She was determined.

But Jacob wasn't about to make this easy. He kicked it up another gear, realizing that he had been going a little bit _too _easy on her. She was right, he had been underestimating her. Then again, she was the cousin of a _wolf. _She had to be _somewhat _athletic. She quickly tried to increase her strides, adjusting to the change as soon as she noticed it. He had to give her something, she was good.

He could hear people rooting for them as they ran past, Embry looked giddy with excitement. There was only about one hundred meters left now. He kicked it up one more gear...and Rayn suddenly got a burst of speed and shot even faster. But he was better and of course won.

"Winner! Jacob Black!" Embry shouted, shoving Jacob's arm in the air. Jake looked to Rayn who was doubled over, holding her hands on her knees. Her chest was heaving dramatically and she was shaking her head with her eyes closed. She stood up, stretching her back, reminding him again of an animal. She quickly shook the tube she had been holding in her hand and set it to her mouth. He watched as her shoulders lifted to take in the breath. She held it for a moment before noisily releasing it in one big puff.

She walked over to Jacob and smiled towards him.

"_You are fast._" She mouthed, doing the hand actions at the same time as mouthing. Jacob repeated it with a grin and more emphasis on the word 'you'. She smiled and grabbed her notepad from the waist of her pants, taking the pen that was attached to it.

_Feel proud. This won't stay for long. Rematch._

"When?" Jacob asked with a smile. She scribbled, already smiling at her writing.

_Every day until I win._

Jacob laughed as well, nodding his head. He heard the footsteps behind him seconds before the voice spoke.

"Emily is going to make us help clean up the house," Embry said slowly. Jake and Rayn turned to look to him, his brown eyes were sparkling as he regarded Jake with flared nostrils. "I caused a lot of the mess in there and broke a bowl so I really need to help, but I was going to show Rayn the beach...do you think you could do it?"

Jake felt like he had been splashed into hot water as he looked into Rayn's water-world eyes. On one hand, he didn't want to go anywhere alone with her. The situation in itself was already far too confusing and he did not want to complicated it even more because Embry wanted to play Cupid.

On the other hand, the only reason the water that hit him was warm was because a part of him, and Jacob couldn't quite tell how large that part may be, that wanted to take her. He tried to reason that it was because he wanted to know what could possibly make her the one he was supposed to be with, but something told him that it was more...something about the way he kept looking at her lips...

He was distracted by her hand signs. Of course, he couldn't tell what was said but her eyes were wide, the hand movements were frantic, and she pointed at Jacob twice.

"Nah, Jake would _love _to take you. It wouldn't be awkward." Embry looked at Jake. "Right, man?" His eyes were boaring into Jacob's and Jake could feel everyone's gaze on him. He felt as he mentally stood his ground and opened his mouth to say no, but when he looked to Rayn to tell her, her eyes were wide and innocent, preparing themselves for disappointment.

"Sure, sure." Was all he could manage, taking in a deep breath once he was done. Rayn smiled slightly before walking back to her bag. She seemed to sign something in front of her that Jacob couldn't see which made a couple of the wolves laugh dramatically. Jacob looked towards Embry.

"Not cool, man." He growled lowly, shuffling his bare feet in the grass.

"Oh, don't start that with me." Embry's eyes rolled as he nudged Jake's side. "A little bit of time with her and maybe you'll stop being an idiot."

"I can't _understand her!_" Jacob whispered viciously, making sure she was out of earshot. She hadn't reached the bags yet, but a human wouldn't have been able to hear. Embry's brow furrowed.

"If that's the real issue, then you have no problems. She can mouth words fine and add hard consenants if you get confused. You're just being a scardy-cat."

"You did not just say that." Jacob moaned. "A) that's what a five year old says. B) I am a _wolf. _I _hate cats._" He looked back over to Rayn, who was slipping on new socks and grabbing a sweater from beside her bag as she slung the drawstring fushia bag over her shoulder. She made her way back with her head held low.

"She totally doesn't want to do it, look at her! This is stupid." Jacob muttered. He wanted to smack himself when he noticed the inability he had for saying that he could not take her. The inability to call it off, or to yell at her and say there was too much work in the house and they would need his help. He looked at her and glared. Stupid little kid.

"You. Imprint. Her. Time. Now." Embry explained brokenly, pushing Jacob forward a little bit. Jacob glared daggers through him to which Embry laughed.

"Do you know what I would _give _to imprint? Stop complaining you idiot and go with her!" He shoved Jacob forward again.

"If you want to imprint so bad, _take it._" Jacob growled again, shoving his heels in the grass when Embry tried to push him again. Embry looked at him with wide eyes.

"That's just gross."

"Embry," Jacob moaned, now trying a different direction. He looked to Embry with pained eyes. "Please, _please _don't do this to me! I am not _ready _for this-"

"Too late." Quil choked. Jacob quickly swerved around to see Rayn about ten feet away. She looked up when everything went silent and smiled awkwardly, not liking the attention suddenly being on her. She shuffled her feet innocently. It took a moment before she pointed sloppily behind her, in the opposite direction of the beach and Jacob sighed.

She looked to him and coughed lightly...obviously a clearing of her throat. Jacob looked into her giant innocent eyes...they were so strangely coloured. For someone so dark. It darkened the whole sky behind her as if her eyes were the water from a coral reef and the sky behind her was the deepest ocean cavern. He found himself drawn towards her, like a tide to the shore. He shivered against his will.

"Come on, I know a short cut."

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**Well, I hope you enjoyed that chapter and as most of you can probably tell…FLUFF IN THE NEXT ONE. YAY. My life needs romance right now considering I am getting none of my own. Please review, I haven't really been getting a lot in consideration of how many hits my story has been getting. Thank you all for reading and I hope you like the character development of Rayn. Trust me, drama to come the chapter after next…but this next one? Nuh-uh. Fluff. Avoid if you get motion sickness.**

**--Egypt**


	6. Squeeze Tight

**So, even though I only updated less than two days ago if we count by hours, I decided that I wanted to share this. I wrote it basically 10 hours after I posted the last one and I just transferred it onto computer files. I think it's pretty cute. It's not fast moving or anything, but it's definitely an improvement to Jacob's earlier foolishness! **

**Thank you to those who reviewed, I'd really appreciate more. Even if it's anonymous because you don't have an account or anything…just don't trash my story. It's barely begun and I don't think it's **that **bad, constructive criticism is always welcome.**

**Thank you all, enjoy!**

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The sky was grey, covered in cloud and missed which paled Jacob and Rayn as they reached the shoreline. Jacob had felt the humidity spike as soon as they had gotten near the beach and saw the dark clouds over the water which were slowly drawing towards them. It darkened the water dangerously and chopped it angrily.

Rayn did not seem to care about this small set back. She still wanted to see the beach and Jacob felt almost rude denying her of that. No matter _how _much he didn't want to be here. Rayn quickly took off her shoes as they reached the sand, her socks followed soon after. She shoved them into her drawstring fuchsia backpack and looked to him quickly.

As she shoved the bag over her shoulders, she began to walk forward towards the water. Jacob followed slowly behind her, wondering if she was planning to jump in or not. When she reached the edge where the water just started to drain onto the sand, she watched it slosh against her feet.

Jacob tried to see what was so fascinating. The water drained across her feet. They were small feet with a silver anklet and bright neon blue nail polish. When he was right beside her, she looked to him and hunched her shoulders even more and shook her hands near her chest. Cold.

Jacob watched as she anxiously waited for more water to roll in, her gaze out on the thrashing, tumbling and turbulent waves which were so much darker than her own aqua-blue eyes. It took less than 10 seconds before a large wave crippled the sandbar and caressed her ankles. Rayn gave a breath to calm herself and turned to face him again.

It seemed that the two took a moment to study each other. Jacob was happy they did, his stomach suddenly felt very hyper and he felt that he needed to calm it before he could safely move again. Rayn's eyes did not weigh him with judgement like he knew she may have seen him do to her. Her eyes instead seemed to drown him in her own curiosity. Her shoulders hunched nervously, her hands were subconsciously clenching and unclenching, and her toes were playing in the sopping sand.

Her eyes dropped suddenly and she sucked her lips in embarrassment. She stuck out her hands: thumb, index and middle finger pointing downwards as she rotated which hand was in front a couple times. '_Walk_?' she mouthed. Jacob nodded breathlessly and turned to walk away from where they had come.

How long had that moment of staring at each other lasted? A couple seconds? A couple minutes? A couple decades? He really wouldn't have been able to tell. Jacob made sure that his strides were lazy to ensure hers didn't need to be too long.

"So," Jacob began slowly. He didn't like silences and he was the one who always tried to break them out of awkwardness. He mentally cursed himself, there would always be silence. Rayn is a mute, he reminded himself darkly. You may always feel awkward if you let this imprint-thing keep going. End the walk fast and go back to moping. That's what you're best with. Not a girl who can't speak. You two are not compatible.

"So," he said again, trying to silence his own thoughts now. "Why come to La Push?" Rayn smiled sadly to the ground and took both hands, crossing them over her chest and squeezed. She clearly mouthed '_Embry_'.

"Do you like it so far? I mean, you've been here 'n' all, but - this visit?" Jacob asked, trying to stop the angry echoes in his head and the vicious yelling coming from another part of his head telling him not to stutter. He felt like he was back in school as he was being graded on everything he was doing wrong.

Rayn tried to hide a smile as she looked Jacob straight in the eyes and nodded. She grabbed blindly at the notepad wedged between her body and waistband. She took the pencil out of the metal coil, and quickly wrote,

_Tell me more about everyone I've met._

Jacob smiled. Good. More talking, less thought. "Well," he began in a poor impersonation of a television host, it made Rayn stop withholding her smile. Jacob watched her smile widen for almost a little _too _long before he continued.

"As I'm sure you heard, and prob'ly realized: Embry, Quil, and I are best friends. I guess we're the clowns of the group. Other than the three of us, no one really picks sides or specific 'best friends'...other than girlfriends. But we kind of came into this group as best friends." Rayn seemed to be paying close attention. "Quil's a really good guy. He baby sits a little girl named Claire a lot...he's basically in love with her." Jacob smiled at his own little joke. "He's the most eager to scrap of us three though, and everything always ends up screwing up thanks to him.' Jacob looked at Rayn who looked at him with innocently curious eyes.

"You obviously know Em' really well. He and I are closest, I guess. We've helped each other through a lot of tight spots. We know everything there is to know about each other." Not that we really have much choice, Jacob thought bitterly.

"Sam is kind of the leader. We really look up to him for guidance...for everything. He's basically like a second father to us all. Emily likes to play the mother, too. She's been with Sam as long as I have been around them." Rayn smiled slightly, looking towards her footprint in the sand. He wondered what she was thinking briefly, before his mind started arguing with him. Something about...a leech, but he drowned out the voice by talking more.

"Paul has a really bad temper, which I heard you saw a bit of in youg rame." Jacob scowled at the thought. The thought that she could be hurt. "Paul's an idiot, really. He and I are always itching to fight. He's with my sister though, so we usually keep it together for her sake." Rayn nodded slightly, but still kept her focus towards the sand.

Jacob briefly noticed that the hair on her arms had risen and showered her body with Goosebumps. The sky was starting to darken with a lot more haste, the water had become a lot more rough. He shouldn't have brought her out here if she would be so cold. It was barely 4:00 in the afternoon and it was already getting dark because of the clouds, it was an in-house day for normal people. Rayn looked up to him with a furrowed brow to see what had caught his attention. He continued.

"Sorry. Uh, Jared's kind-a weird. You never really know what's going on with him...his personality kind of goes 0-50 in a second, he's super protective and crazy. Kim, his girlfriend, keeps him pretty grounded though. She's pretty shy so he can't be a total jackass in public as much as he'd like to be." Rayn's shoulders shook in silent laughter. Jacob couldn't help but feel pretty proud of himself as he smiled down at her.

Suddenly, there was a harsh feeling as his insides screamed to touch her. Maybe hold her hand...he looked down to her hand which was swaying rhythmically with each step. Jacob found himself wondering how her hand felt...how warm it would be in comparison to Bella's. How soft it would be in comparison to how soft Bella's were. The part of him which usually fought this urge seemed drunk, because he tried to find a reason not to, but his usual reason was blurred. Bella's eyes weren't their beautiful chocolate brown in his head anymore, Bella's voice was no longer innocent, and she wasn't cute and klutzy, but rather elegant and graceful.

"Uh-" Jacob said quickly, looking down at his red feet in the sand. That must have been an awkward silence. A long one, he thought to himself. "Hate to say it," he continued as if nothing had happened. "But that cousin of yours, Seth, is kinda one of the banes of our being...the other is his sister. No offence, but Seth is just so...happy. _All the time. _He's so hyper and at times way to nosy. On top of that once he knows something he just can't let it go because the kid doesn't _shut up._" Before he was finished, Rayn was already scribbling on her notepad. Her face pulled into a melodramatic pout.

_I know - but he only has good intentions. Hes the most sweet & genuine kid I've ever met ever. _

Jacob nodded lightly after he read it before continuing darkly.

"Well, that's why Leah's here. To counter that happiness. She's bitter, bitchy, and vicious...need I say more?" Rayn shook her head with wide eyes and quickly mouthed '_she scares me_'. Jacob laughed as she began to write again.

_She's always hated me compared to Leo. Em said he told you._

Jacob nodded again, a lump had suddenly formed in his throat and he didn't dare swallow around it. It wasn't like Embry had a lot to tell about Leo...it seemed that the Talon family would be shrouded in mystery for a long time. If not forever...that is, if Jacob could keep his emotions under control.

"Yeah, but there you go. That's the crew." Jacob said as he cleared his throat. He looked back to the approaching storm. "We can turn around and start headed back now. It's basically dusk with these clouds" Rayn nodded as she swivelled in the sand and followed her own footprints, still barely visible in the sand.

'_What about you?_' She mouthed, looking at him with an expression Jacob could not read. Jacob's eyebrows shot up.

"Me?" He asked, trying to keep the fact he was happy that she asked silent. Why would she want to know about me? He asked himself quietly. Did imprintees really fall in love like the wolves did? ...Jacob smacked himself mentally. It didn't matter if they did. Jacob Black did not know Rayn Talon, therefore he did _not _love her.

"Well, my name is Jacob Black. I'm 19. I like long walks on the beach and cuddling in front of a warm fire." He explained in a fakely quaint voice. Rayn smiled wide and pushed his shoulder with a silent burst of laughter. The fading light only made her smile look larger and more bright against her dark skin. Her hand was warm, but as he looked he noticed that the Goosebumps were still there. Rayn quickly looked at her hand with wide eyes and furrowed eyebrows as she mouthed,

'_You're really hot._' Jacob panicked almost immediately. He had no excuse for the truth of his natural 108.9 degree temperature. No plausible reason ran through his mind to explain himself even temporarily. He put on one of his cocky smiles and quickly said,

"Why, thank you Ms. Talon. Not so bad yourself." She rolled her eyes and dropped her hand, trying to hold back the smile that was creeping to the sides of her mouth.

'_I'm serious_.' She mouthed. Again, he began to silently panic, not knowing how to react or even if he should react at all. Instead, he pretended to misunderstand what she was saying.

"Okay, okay fine. Seriously: I'm still Jacob Black. Still 19. I have two sisters: Rebecca and Rachel. I'm the biggest person here on the reservation and I spend all my time with the uh- boys." He took a deep breath once he was finished. He had almost said pack...that would have been a bad thing. Eventually she may get suspicious and that would not help for future accusations.

_And you're very warm._

She wrote with a raised eyebrow and slightly suspicious eyes. Jacob laughed loudly to reassure her. "Sure, sure. That too." She rolled her eyes slightly. Maybe it was because he had brushed off the reason so quickly, so she scribbled again,

_You should get that looked into._

"Nope. Doc says I'm healthy as a horse." Or wolf, he thought with a smirk. Rayn smiled and took back her notepad, writing just as quickly as before.

_I wish I were warm. I'm always cold. I could race you back to warm up?_

She asked with a challenging, cheeky grin. It made Jacob laugh aloud again. He missed laughing. It had been a while that he hadn't laughed out of pure, dry sarcasm or bitter irony.

Then, a thought came to mind. A bad thought. A forbidden thought. A thought that rolled through Jacob's mind like a concrete ball, squashing any other that tried to debate it. He could - maybe - just...no, it'd be too weird. He couldn't explain himself if she asked and he couldn't allow it. He didn't know her, and against all the heat in his cheeks, sweat on his palms, and clenching of his stomach, he did not love her.

"You'd get lost when I'd win, I'd be so far ahead of you." he smirked. She scowled before he continued to save himself. "Besides, with how long the run is, you could have an asthma attack, puffer or not." His chest constricted to prepare for the rejection he knew he was about to feel. "Why don't we just keep walking?"

Jacob - senses screaming in protest and eagerness - slowly reached for her hand. He her hand in his own, not entwining their fingers out of fear. Her hand was small compared to his, and soft. Like a baby's. It was warm and possibly clammy...or was that all him?

Rayn bit her lip as she looked down at their hands. Part of Jacob was screaming, but something - as distant as his conscious but as clear as his own voice - told him that it was out of joy and not anger. And another part told him that if this could last 10 more seconds, that it would be worth the rejection. He took in how she felt tried to piece everything together...how soft she was; the smell of campfire, cinnamon and apples; how warm she was...

Slowly, with gathering courage that she hadn't yet yanked her hand away, he looked into Rayn's question and wide eyes. He smiled slightly and added, in the most genuine voice he could muster,

"I'm always warm. And it _is _my warmth to share..."

Rayn took a noticeable big breath which lifted her chest and shoulders dramatically. Jacob felt himself shiver in anxiety and wished he knew why Rayn's hadn't exactly gone down. She should be warming up, with how warm he was. Maybe she felt this electricity too? Or, maybe he was just getting his hopes up...

Rayn looked from their hands and back into his eyes, still questioning silently. Then, at the same time as he saw her face light up, he felt her hand squeeze.

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**See, wasn't that sweet? It took me around eighteen times to get that last sentence just how I wanted it. Really, it was so frustrating. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it. PLEASE review. **Please, _Please, _**Please!  
Anyway, I'm still kind of unsure what should come next…there are so many ways I could take this, but I don't know what's realistic, more Bella/Edward conflict? First date? Or should she get the first glimpse of a mysterious Red Wolf? I have all the different outcomes being weighed…ideas?**

Thank you again!

--Egypt


	7. New Developments

**Well, another fast update. This chapter definitely is not one of the best written but there were so many ideas and it's really just filler for the next big one. I thought it was about time we got some of the stereotypical drama coming into play, don't you?**

**Well, as you know I only own the Talon's and this Spin-Off from Mrs. Meyers own characters and storyline.**

**Please review! Thank you everyone for reviewing last time, I REALLY appreciated it, it was **_**really **_**the reason I thought of this chapter so quickly because I felt like you guys just needed some more in response! **

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Jacob woke up suddenly. His eyes snapped open faster than necessary and his body sat bolt upright...he hadn't been having a nightmare, had he? No, no...his dream had been pleasant. _More _than pleasant. It had been of him swimming in a pool of aqua water and seeing someone walk on water to come and retrieve him...

Jacob rubbed the back of his hand over his sore, exhausted eyes and quickly smelt a hint of musky cinnamon and vanilla. _Rayn. _

He looked out his window at the starry sky, still without a hint of sunlight. It was late, maybe two or three in the morning, still. He tried to remember what time he had gone to bed...he and Rayn had arrived from their beach walk around 5:00, they had all eaten - probably an exciting experience for Rayn, being in a pack of werewolves when they were hungry - and they didn't stay much longer. Embry had made Rayn go home so he could start his rounds early. Earlier he started, earlier he could sleep and still be accommodating for Rayn in the morning. Rayn had eagerly accepted, everyone had been asking her too many questions that she couldn't answer.

Questions that shouldn't have been that difficult, Jacob reminded himself softly. Not that he could remember what most of them were, but he remembered that they weren't incriminating. What school she went to, who her friends were, hobbies... small talk, from what he could remember. Maybe she just didn't like to talk about her self much...or maybe she was embarrassed that she couldn't talk at _all._

Jacob stretched lightly and got out of bed, knowing from his quick wake up that he would not sleep the night through. He looked back out at the sky...perhaps he could run patrol for a while? Give someone like Embry, who was completely exhausted, a chance to get some shut-eye.

Jacob had already transformed before the front door of the house was completely closed. He revelled in the feeling of the night breeze against his shaggy fur, the new sharpness of the world through his refined, yet completely colour blind, vision. He loved the feeling of soil, grass, and rock under his callused paws, the humid smell of the fog from the storm earlier, and the sound of the crickets animating his movements. He loved being a wolf.

_Never gets old, does it? _Embry.

_Still here? What time is it? _Jacob asked, running the opposite of the twin path of shrubbery that Embry was following. A familiar route each member of the pack knew well. It was a standard way for checks.

_Late. I should be off soon, Sam is taking over. _

_Have you noticed Sam is purposely trying to make sure I don't run as many rounds? _Jacob asked himself more than he asked Embry, but with this mental connection, nothing was private. Embry seemed to wince, a nervousness filled Jacob that automatically alerted him. _What do you know?_

_It's nothing bad. _Embry told, closing his eyes momentarily to focus on _not _thinking of 'it' as his mind was repeating over and over.

_It? What is _'it', _Embry? _Jacob asked with a growl. It noticeably made Embry shiver.

_Rayn. _Embry said shortly.

_Rayn? What about Rayn? Sam started doing this _before _last night. _

_True. You've just been doing so much better...he doesn't want someone stupid like Seth or Leah screwing it up by saying something stupid...then Rayn got here and I mean, we _know _that walk had to do something..._

Of course it did. Embry had not been there to see how they flirted along the beach, how fascinated she was with him and at the same time genuinely concerned for his health when she had discovered how warm he was. They had not seen how widely she would smile at him or how they had held hands before they were within eyeshot of the house.

_You did?!_

Fuck.

_Listen Jake, _Embry told with a sigh. _I don't understand why you keep thinking this is such a bad thing. I like the idea...I told you why I think you would be a good match. At this point...I think you're _looking _for reasons not to let this work. And I think that _you _think that I am an easy route to one of those reasons. _

_Bullshit. _Jacob said flatly. But at the same time, he stopped to wonder, something he knew Embry was not only watching but nudging towards him. If he did happen to think that Embry was against it, then he may not be as willing to go after Rayn. And if he didn't go after Rayn then he didn't have to fear Rayn's rejection -

_- which won't happen. _Embry interrupted.

- and he could spend his time continuing with what he knew best: how to mope over a lost soul. A lost life...a lost love. Bella's dark chocolate eyes filled his vision, her peaches and cream pale skin, her happy smile, her long, dark hair...

And then an image started interrupting and recreating his thought of her...an image of someone with deadly pale skin, deadly topaz eyes, viciously beautiful features, locks of long, dark hair...

_Embry, stop it._

_I can't help it! _Embry defended himself with a growl, he could feel Embry's pure frustration with the idea of Bella and not only that, but Jake was surprised when he felt a long bought of anger towards himself radiating from Embry. Embry interrupted his thoughts with malicious ones of his own.

_Bella is _gone, _Jacob. The Bella you knew is now a bloodsucking, heartless, dead, parasite that we were made to destroy. I really don't give a damn whether or not you love her for the rest of your life or if you want to go and kill them all tomorrow...I know which one would be easier to listen to at night, sure. But you're _supposed _to be my best friend, so I have learned to live with little annoyances like that. But Jacob Black: if you ever, and I mean _ever _hurt my cousin in any way, shape, or form...it won't matter that you're my best friend. I will come after you. And though you may be bigger, stronger, whatever...no, doesn't matter. I will hunt you. And I will get you._

With that, Embry's voice and vicious feelings were gone. Jacob shivered under the intensity of his anger. Embry had been his best friend for farther back than he could remember. He had always heard of Rayn in passing, he even remembered when Embry had to disappear for the funeral and the two weeks each summer to go see her at her home...but he had never realized he had _replaced _her brother once he died. Jacob growled with himself.

He wasn't stupid. He knew that it shouldn't be so difficult. He knew that he should not feel any emotion for Bella, because like Rayn's real brother: Bella _was _gone. She was off limits emotionally, was now totally new mentally, and she of course was completely restricted physically. There was nothing that they could do together, nothing that they could be. There was no hope for a future with her and there was no hope for any type of love that was not for his blood.

Why _was _he fighting against this so hard? Rayn was a sweet girl. Rayn was a stunning girl. Sure, she was about two years younger than him, she was his best friends cousin (and basically his sister) and sure: maybe she couldn't speak. It will make it difficult, but not impossible. After all, people live in relationships like that all the time. Hundreds to thousands of parents find out everyday that their children are deaf or mute and will have to learn sign language: and they learn...damn, look at Helen Keller.

_Coming to your senses? _Sam's baritone voice startled Jacob. Sam had been a werewolf the longest of the whole pack and he was best with hiding his thoughts. He could listen in to people all the time...and for all Jacob knew, he did. Sam was very close to Jacob's location, but Jacob started walking away from it. He was not called for rounds and after what Embry just said to him, he did not want to talk to Sam about it.

_I won't _make _you talk about it, _Sam calmly explained. _But if you would like to confide, I am always here. You've had it fairly rough, Jacob. We understand that you are in pain...but sometimes, you need to stop mutilating yourself just because it is habit. _Ouch, Jacob thought.

_Sam, I have to ask..._Jacob felt his mind flood with confusion and intrigue from Sam's side. Jacob thought back to the beach, thought back to everything that happened, and focused, briefly on a single thought he'd had. When Rayn had asked about Jacob, who he was...he had wondered if those the wolves imprinted on loved them in the same way...

_I guess we will never know for sure. Unlike the Cullens, our only powers are shape shifting. We cannot read minds or know how other people feel. We will never, truly, know for sure... _Sam's thoughts filled with images and memories of Emily, some were so old that she was unmarred and pristine in features, also, there were images of Leah. Some even had Leah smiling, an image Jacob had never seen in the flesh. _Emily is the one I imprinted on even though, like you, I did not want to. It took me a long while to accept it...even longer than you are taking now. Emily has given me everything she has: heart, soul, life...and I'm sure if she needed or could find a way to do it physically, she would do that, too. I don't really know where the line divides from imprinting to love, Jacob. But I would give my world for Emily...and I know that she would do the same. _

_What if Rayn isn't _like _Emily? What if I imprint on her, only to find out that she would never, or could never, like me back? _The thought frightened him, made it hard to swallow as if his Adams apple had become so swollen it had engulfed his entire neck.

_You've taken so many chances for everyone else, Jacob. For us, for your father, for Bella...why can't you take a chance for her? _Jacob did not reply. He was sure that Sam saw the scene of the beach replay in his mind. He knew that Sam saw the hazy way he was drowned in her eyes each time she looked at him and how warm and soft she was...

_Go see her, Jacob. I know you will make the best decision for you both. _

_What decision is the best decision? _Jacob asked helplessly, feeling overwhelmed and like he had gone back in time over 10 years. He felt like a toddler, like a crying child who did not know the answer to the question that the teacher prodded them with in front of a class of people.

_The decision that makes you the most happy._

* * *

Embry woke up to the sound of something sizzling and the distinct smell of bacon cooking. He rubbed his eyes and rubbed his cheeks as he stumbled out to the kitchen, it was not often that his mother made breakfast...actually, because of all her hectic hours over at the restaurant in Forks, she was barely ever home at all, and never in the strange hours after and before sleep. It was always some strange time in between, where you could never find her anyway...she needed to sleep at least there hours a night. Something even Embry could not make himself do.

Embry's door was attached to the toy room, Rayn's current bedroom. He saw that she was lumped in the covers, having one of her vivid dreams she always told him about. She'd had them ever since she was a child and she would throw herself around on a bed because of them. To get out of Embry's room, he would have to get out of the toy room without waking up Rayn...

...which was as easy as licking ice cream. Rayn slept like the dead and she kept her room so nice and tidy that it was easy to manoeuvre through. Once he was out of her bedroom, he shielded his eyes from the blinding sunlight and walked through the small and cramped hallway to the kitchen.

His mother was wearing one of her flowered aprons, her hair already tossed up into a hairnet for work and her plain, grey work dress was on. Was she about to start a shift, or did she just end one? Embry tip-toed into the kitchen, watching dumbfounded. And there was his reason, sitting at the tiny kitchen table...

Jacob Black.

"'Morning, Em." Jacob said with a smirk. He was wearing a shirt, pants, and even shoes today. His hair looked freshly washed, he looked chipper and almost like the guy Embry had once been best friends with. His eyes narrowed. "About time you got up, your Mom was worried you'd still be out cold and I'd be left alone when she went to work." He was overly smug, sitting at one of the new chairs for the table. His mother had to buy new ones after Embry had gotten so big that he broke the ones before them.

"What time is it?" Embry asked, looking to the clock but not understanding how to read it. It was far too early, it hurt his eyes just to look at the harsh white and black information. Embry's mother, Leslie, came and kissed him on the cheek while she swayed on her toes.

"It's quarter to nine, and time for me to go. I don't want to be late." Her light brown eyes quickly threw him an apology as she grabbed the car keys. "If you get Rayn up, she can finish that for you if you boys don't want to. I'm sure she'd love to visit. Besides that, she worked in the kitchen for her parents for so many years," she sighed, grabbing a coat. "I won't be home until very late. Don't wait up."

Her thick healed shoes clicked as they hit the wood on the porch. Jacob and Embry listened in silence as she started her sputtering car, cursing when it wouldn't fully work, and then listening to the crunch of gravel until she was gone.

"She worked in a restaurant for her parents?" Jacob asked with a scrunched face. Embry looked away from the front door and back to his friend. He still looked smooth and composed. He was obviously trying to keep himself looking sophisticated and at this point in time, like he was unbothered by the world. Embry knew this was stupid, Jacob _always _had something he could whine to him about.

"Have you stopped being an ass?" Embry asked accusingly, openly glaring at Jacob. Jacob shrugged largely, creating an air of surprise on his face as his eyes seemed very preoccupied with the light bulb on the ceiling.

"I mean, I really don't know. If you're talking about being smart and deciding that I wouldn't fight this anymore: then yes, I'd be pretty damn smart. But if you are just asking about if I'm going to cool down my ego because of this, well, you've got another th-" Jacob was knocked over in the chair as Embry hugged him. It was a large hug, a bear hug and it was bone-crushingly tight.

"Finally, it's about time. That was two days of pure, annoying, burning Hell." Embry sighed, releasing him. "What convinced you?" Embry watched Jacob's expression closely as his eyes unfocused in thought.

"You did, I guess." Jacob shrugged at last, looking back towards him. "You made me start thinking about it, and then Sam came to do his rounds and he made me realize I'm not the only one to feel this...He didn't want to love Emily either. "His eyes were completely sympathetic. "He loved Leah enough that he knew it was wrong and he tried to fight it too...now look at how happy they both are."

"I hope by both you aren't referring to Leah." Embry snorted.

"Bella has a husband. She'll be fine." Jacob winced slightly, the wound still sore...but scabbed. Scabbed enough that he could try again. Walk again. Breathe again. Live again. Embry smiled widely and pat him on the back.

"Good to have you back, man." Jacob nodded and looked around slightly for Rayn, who he assumed was still sleeping in her room. Embry seemed to know exactly where his thoughts had travelled. "_And _as a little gift from me to you...I'll go wake up Rayn."

Jacob felt a mix of emotions from this. A large part of him - okay, a _very _large part of him - wanted to go wake Rayn himself. Another part wanted to crawl into bed with her and see how she reacted when she woke. A smaller part wanted Embry to wake her so that he could surprise her with breakfast...but in the end, it was envy that won out his emotions.

"Why can't I do it?" He asked, probably sounding like that little child from last night. Embry's eyebrows shot up and his eyes widened. He swallowed and took a deep breath, nodding his head slowly before speaking.

"Remember when I said she sleeps like the dead? Yeah...well, she likes being woken up just as much. She's a violent dreamer, if she is too tired, she will kick your ass...and yes, I have been victim to it." Jacob smirked, feeling suddenly very self assured over the power that held the he and Rayn together. Not that it had really been put to the test. Not that it had been really _assured _on her half that it was there...

"Come and watch the master."

Jacob and Embry quietly crept through the hallway. Jacob felt the need to duck while he was walking, Embry was chuckling and muttering behind him. The door was slightly open, sunlight had begun to seep underneath it. Jake nudged it open slowly, silently, trying not to wake her...but, as soon as he could see her he had known it was pointless.

Rayn could have been in a coma. Her blankets were up to her chin, her legs tangled in and out from them. Her arm was hanging over the side of the bed and her hair was strewn over her face. Her hand was twitching violently...it reminded Jacob of the shaking they suppressed when they tried not to turn. Jacob could not help but notice that her legs were bare, it seemed she was wearing shorts, her dark legs looked smooth as silk, long and muscular. As Jacob examined all the skin he could see, her head tossed the opposite way, hair spilling over her face once more.

"Good luck." Embry said, without a hushed voice. He stood in the doorway as Jacob edged forward. He had not noticed before how low the bed was to the ground...no bed frame, of course. Jacob took a knee and was tempted to take her hand...he was tempted to wake her by smothering her air supply with a passionate kiss. He was tempted to climb into the bed with her and sleep like he hadn't in months.

He decided to keep what he had. He got on his knee, and lightly touched one of her fingertips, which twitched angrily towards his heat. He took his hand, hovering it over her skin, following her arm. He noticed that she was wearing a large shirt...too large to be even Embry's. It was white and baggy, hanging down to her elbow. He took her shoulder and shook it lightly.

She let out an angry huff of air, slightly moving her head. Her hair fell from her face and her eyebrows furrowed in aggravation. It took only five seconds until her face smoothed out. Jacob hesitated. She looked peaceful. The sunlight lit her hair and sent strange multicoloured streaks through it. Her face looked like a tarnished gold...

"Sometime today?" Embry asked, Jacob could hear his grin.

Jacob looked back down to Rayn, who had already tossed her head to the side facing him, her hair spilling across her face. He leaned down closer.

"Rayn," he whispered softly. "Rayn, wake up." Jacob's eyes suddenly went wide and his breath caught in his throat as Rayn wrapped her arms around him. Her arms were cool, the one that had been lulled out of the bed significantly moreso than the other. They tightened around him momentarily and he felt his hair move slightly from her fingers. Her body curved closer to him as she moved onto the right side of her body. Her warmer hand drooped from his body, down his shoulder and bobbed off of the bed. Her other slowly started to fall as well, Jacob felt shivers rise every hair on his body and he trembled slightly when the second hand began to fall. "Rayn," he said again, his voice suddenly a lot more husky.

Rayn's eyes slowly drifted open, they opened and closed multiple times, too heavy to keep open. She looked at Jacob a moment, a puzzled smile lit her face. Then, suddenly, the lights turned on. She jumped, recoiled her hand and was curled in a ball on the other side of the bed _so _quickly that Jacob felt she had teleported there.

"Good morning. We have bacon cooking." Jacob said slowly, trying not to startle her anymore. Rayn groped just past his head to the window sill, grabbing the blue tube and shaking it roughly. She took an intake of breath, her lips embracing the end...and took another. She shook it roughly trying to take one more. She took a loud, deep breath.

"Are you okay?" Rayn's head snapped at the sound of Embry's voice. She shook her head, negatively. Signing something very quickly.

"Alright, well, we'll go get you a refill after breakfast. How badly do you need it...I mean, do you need it now?" Jacob watched Rayn's worried expression tensely as she took her hands and brought her fingers facing forward, dragging it as if down her body. "Alright. Well, lets eat. Get you relaxed. C'mon Jake, lets give her a minute to get up."

He and Jacob were quickly in the hallway. Embry grinned smugly to Jacob and quickly explained, "I've never woken her up and gotten _that _reaction."

Jacob looked to Embry with a dead serious look on her face. He could see her frantic hand movements and her "What did she say?" Jacob asked immediately. Embry took a moment to think, a moment that was so long Jacob found himself sloppily flipping the bacon as Embry spoke.

"She just needs a refill of her asthma medication, really soon. No need to worry." Embry said, but his voice was slightly shaken. It did not make Jake feel any better.

Rayn's foot falls were light as she entered the kitchen. Jacob saw that she was still in her oversized white shirt, he could _just _see the line of where her shorts ended. Her hair was now in a sloppy braid which hung to one side. She was clutching a book between her left arm and her body. She came towards Jacob, blushed bright crimson, and took over the bacon. One handedly signing something to Embry with which he rolled his eyes and told her to 'screw off'.

She flipped the bacon once and took multiple strips out, letting the others continue as she lowered the heat. She looked to Jacob.

"_Gift. For you._" She mouthed simply, sucking on her lips. She held out the book she had been cradling. Jacob looked from her, eyebrows knitted together and looked back down to the book. The large, white book had bright red writing which read, _ASL for beginners - The Know-It-All Guide to Sign Language._ Jacob looked back to Rayn and smiled, she smiled back tightly before looking to Embry and signing, he translated in a monotone voice:

"She says that you said you wanted to learn and this could help. She says she knows how it feels to be out of the loop and that it was that book that taught most of the people that learned everything that they know." Jacob looked back down to the book, it was not _that _large. If he could read that and understand sign language, the book would be a miracle in itself...not even taking into consideration the fact most people thought the miracle was _imprinting _itself. He looked to Rayn who was smiling at him, that wide smile which was far too large for her delicate face. He couldn't help but smile back, even as he heard a strangled gag from the table beside them.

Suddenly there was a large crash heard from outside. Like metal hitting wood. The house shook violently. Their heads snapped to the front door, Jacob stood up straight and walked a couple steps forward, purposely putting himself in front of Rayn. Embry had stood as well, eyes glued to the door as he took stiff steps forward.

Jacob saw Rayn's hand reach out towards him from his peripheral vision before she took multiple steps forward, hands clenching nervously as they both tried to come up close to Embry. Embry slowly opened the creaking door.

Everything else happened so fast.

A large grey wolf pounding through the door. Rayn throwing herself to pull Embry out of the way. The wolf falling into the kitchen, blood dripping from a cut on it's snout. Rayn clutching to Embry in fear. Jacob yelling at the wolf to get out of the house. Rayn clutching her chest, breathing heavily as she backed away from the giant creature. The wolf looking to Jacob with panicked eyes. Hearing Embry's panicked voice...

And then seeing Rayn sprawled on the floor.

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**Shock? Rayn...on floor? I don't think it's COMPLETELY difficult to guess what happened, or what is about to happen next, but I can assure you that there is about to be drama! Please review, I really appreciate everyone who has so far and I know that tons of you out there are reading, so please let me know what you think! **

**Depending on how this one rubs with you, I will get the next one out soon...if it doesn't rub as well, I may have to change my strategy a bit...**

**Thanks for reading!**

**--Egypt**


	8. Fear

**Wow, I got so many reviews for the last couple chapters it is **wonderful! **Thank you EVERYONE for being so loyal and reading this story. Thank you even more for liking my strange imagination :) **

**Well, it has been a little while since my last update, but truth be told it was either something wrong with the site or just my inner computer but the page to sign into this site was unavailible and I have had this update ready since...oh goodness, Sunday or Monday? I know. Well, I tried to make it a little more literate, it was very sloppy at first. This was the hardest chapter yet to write because I had to do research on asthma attacks (and watch some, it was very disturbing) and then I had to try and make what happened in my head - which plays out like a movie - sound like a story. Super difficult. **

**Anyway, this one kind of has a dead ending, but that is because I expect to get the next update (which is a third of the way finished) out either today, tonight, or tomorrow. So keep checking back for it!**

**Oh and as you all know: I do not own Twilight, only the strange characters and situations I add to make myself feel better. **

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Rasping. It sounded like something was scratching in Rayn's throat and was trying to escape from her mouth. Something large and terrifying. Something which made her, even as she lay unconscious, clutch at her chest. She was beginning to pale, her lips opposingly starting to darken to a sickening purple. Jacob stood there, looking at the limp figure as Embry started performing CPR. Jacob recognized it from movies and as he was trying to watch the pattern that Embry was going to follow, Embry started yelling at the grey wolf. "Leah, what the fuck were you thinking?!" He pounded against Rayn's chest after having tilted her head. Jacob felt compelled to let him tear Leah apart while Jacob saved Rayn's life, but his body would not allow him move yet. His mind still hadn't comprehended what was happening.

It was a painful realization, one which widened his eyes and made him slowly crouch to the ground, as if he would hurt her with his size.

"Rayn, Rayn, wake up..." Jacob begged with wide eyes while trying to make his voice sound like it had just twenty minutes before. He seemed to crawl onto the ground beside her, wondering what he could do to help. "What's wrong with her, Embry?"

"She's having an asthma attack and she's out of medicine! Damnit Leah, what the fuck is your problem?!" Embry croaked, Jacob looked to the strange sound from his friend and noticed that he was glistening. His bare arms with sweat, his face with tears.

"I didn't mean-" Jacob's head whipped towards a startled Leah, noticing that she must have changed into her human form while he was crawling. She was wearing a crinkled and dirtied yellow sundress. Her hand was over her mouth, like people in movies do when they are shocked. She looked like a battered 1900's doll.

"How can we fix it?" Jacob asked Embry, breaking out of his observation.

"Take her to the hospital, Embry-" Leah began, Embry cut her off with a sharp glare and Jake quickly noticed that his glare made him miss two compressions to Rayn's chest. Jake took over, hoping that he was right that he was counting to 25 and he was now on another repetition at 12.

"She can't go to a fucking hospital, moron! Think before you talk, Leah!" Embry growled viciously, his voice more deadly than Jacob had ever heard it. He turned to Jacob and quickly put his hands in his hair. "30 compressions to two big breaths, Jake." Jacob nodded, glad for once to be corrected and waited for the breaths.

He was disturbed by the feeling. He did not expect that it would feel like a kiss, sure. But he was shocked at the feeling of it. Her lips were cold and dry, but at the same time they were completely clammy as sweat started to drench her body. Her skin, which had always felt so warm in comparison to everyone else outside the pack was cold, it felt like elastic. When he gave her a breath, it was like he was breathing against her cheek, he felt the air come back to him.

"It's not working!" Jacob said quickly as he started again on the compressions. "Why can't she go to a hospital?" Jacob asked, Embry shook his head, walking quickly after Leah who was going to the phone.

"Take her to see the leech, then." She told, as she started to dial. The boy's eyes went wide. Jacob did not want to have to take her to see the Cullen's. He did not want her in a house of bloodthirsty vampires when she would be completely defenceless. What if they all decided to hold them off and let Bella - the uncontrollable newborn - or Jasper - the uncontrollable _monster _- feast on her?

"I'm not letting him touch my cousin!" Embry said, clearly thinking along the same lines. Jacob gave two more breaths, feeling them blow back against him like a slap on the face.

"He's the only one who can help her if you won't take her to a hospital!"

"_Why can't she go to a hospital_?" Jacob asked pointedly again, pounding against her chest, trying to get her to wake up. Her lips had gone from a deep purple and were starting to tinge to a dark blue. But Embry and Leah were not listening, Embry was trying to grab the phone from Leah, who was bending at odd angles to keep the phone from him and screaming at the top of her lungs.

_"You are being so stupid! Your cousin is dying, she isn't __**breathing **__and you won't take her to a goddamned hospital. I am __**not **__going to see her die too, even if I'm not that fond of her. Get her to a hospital or so help me I'd rather see her turn into food for the leeches, at least then there would be nothing we can do! Get her to the Cullen's now, or she's going to die, Embry! I am not having that on my conscience, so get her there fast. Her lips are __**blue**__!" _Then, just like that, she hung up the phone.

Embry looked to her with wide eyes, shocked and appalled. Jacob felt himself almost miss a compression as he tried to register what had happened. Leah looked smug.

"You don't know the number, there is no way you can call him..."

"Of course I know the number," Leah hissed. "When Jake was mauled after the baby bloodsuckers, who do you think had to keep calling the doctor? My Mom. And when my Mom wouldn't leave his side, it would be _me. _Knowing them, they're coming." Jacob took a deep breath, feeling like he may pass out himself. The bloodsuckers were coming to get her. To take her to their house, layer, coven - whatever. Jacob suddenly felt cold and didn't know if it was from the situation or the fact that Rayn's cool skin was starting to feel cool through the fabric.

"Leah, you hate them!"

"So do you! But she's still _dying_!"

"So you think making her their _dinner _will be a better way to watch her go?!"

"SHUT UP!" Jacob roared, drawing silence and a look of shock from the other two wolves. Both stopped trembling and looked to him as he pounded on her chest. "Leah's right, she's dying. I don't _care _who I have to take her to, as long as it's fast. We can handle the Cullen's, _I _can handle..." He stopped to breathe twice. "I can't have her-" He shook his head, unable to finish the sentence or the thought as he pounded a bit harder against her chest. He hoped this was true. He knew that the other alternative would be worse, but the thought of having to face Bella again made Jacob feel ill. He kept pounding, trying to keep her heart going, not even knowing if it was faltering in the first place.

"Jacob, stop!" A twinkling voice said quickly. "You're breaking her ribs." Jacob heard her voice before he took a breath to smell the reek of sweetened bleach. It coated his nose and senses and he found himself blinking harshly to try and avoid a blurriness that appeared in his eyes. He felt a cold hand brush past his.

"We need to take her, Jacob. Bella will bring you to the house." Another twinkling voice said. It was much higher pitch, somehow even more sweet. Alice. Jacob blinked just in time to see Edward whiz out the door, Alice quickly following. Good, as much as Jacob hated to say it he was glad it was Edward who took her. Edward was the fastest. Edward had the best control other than the doctor when it came to thirst...even if he had screwed up in the past.

"Jacob, Embry, are you okay?" Jacob looked up at the topaz eyes from Bella and quickly got off the ground, feeling as his whole body began to shake. Embry seemed to feel the same way. Jacob took his own hands and held them together briefly.

"Take us to the house. Now." Embry said quickly, Bella looked shocked at the anger in his voice. It was pure and thick, there was no air bubble of kindness. Bella nodded stiffly and began to walk, with vampire speed, outside. Jacob and Embry followed ripping off their shirts and pants as they went, making sure that Bella did not look behind her.

As soon as they could enter their wolf form, a barrage of thoughts and emotions swept over them. The others on patrol seemed to be Sam, Jared, Seth, and Leah was already running back to them.

Embry was emanating fear, Jacob could feel the sobs that were silently raking his chest as he tried to withhold them. His anger was also pulsating in his mind, he did not want them touching Rayn, knowing they were going to have to keep her in their house did not comfort him, even if they did save her life.

The pack seemed worried. Jacob tried to understand why, digging in deeper to their own conversation instead of his own emotions, something that he wasn't used to doing ever since he had come back. Usually, things which were new would be spoken telepathically, but this time it seemed Sam was worried that it was too much information for them to currently handle.

A smell, that's what Seth let slip. A smell which resembled that of a vampire, but somehow was different. It was not like a flavoured bleach, sweet as a bowl of strawberries mixed with a teaspoon of sugar along with the acid of a rattler. This smell, was sour. Like the fruit and sugar had been set out in the sun for too long and were beginning to rot. It was like artificial candy which made your jaw feel like it was burning and made your eyes water like a strange foreign spice that had not ever been consumed. But at the same time...other than the sour sensation: it smelled of nothing. There was no scent, only the sour aftertaste...as if it were _so _sour that nothing else could be recognized. As Jacob dove deeper he could smell that where Leah and Seth had run across the path, there was no scent at all. There was no smell of rotting wood, wildflowers, or animals in the forest where the smell was, but instead, only the sourness. The feeling of your eyes watering and your jaw disintegrating, without any smell at all.

Jacob wanted to continue his investigation further, but he could tell Sam was getting upset. Embry was trying to ignore all these thoughts, pictures of a little girl and little boy playing in a sandbox filling his mind. Memories crashed into him and weighed upon him as he raced ahead of Jacob. Jacob picked up the pace, they were almost there. The sweetness of bleach was getting stronger.

Bella escaped from the trees into the yard of the Cullen's house, she waited, back turned for Embry and Jacob to transform back into humans. They did so quickly, pulling on their pants and walking out as they slipped on their shirts. The front door was open, another leech was waiting there. Jasper, the dangerous one. Jacob immediately felt his senses heighten in defence...everything about him reeked of danger. He held the door open, Bella thanked him. Jacob accused.

"Where is she?" He asked forcefully. Taking a menacing step towards the blonde leech, who in turn, did not move. Instead he narrowed his eyes a bit.

"You need to stay out here for a few minutes longer." Jasper said, wrinkling his nose as he took a breath after the sentence was done. Embry joined Jacob close and intimidating.

"I don't need to _wait _to see her. Where is she?" Embry's voice was harsh and it sounded forcibly calmed. It was strange that the vampire wasn't trying to calm the two werewolves.

"She's up with Alice, meaning that as soon as you decide to go into the room, Alice won't be able to see what's going to happen." Embry took an involuntary step back out of shock. That was not the answer that had been expected. Jacob took a moment, then roughly pushed past the half-closed door. He looked back at Embry.

"We don't need a bloodsucker to help us see the future. We just want her breathing again. He said that she was 'up with Alice', so she's upstairs. Let's go find her." Embry was soon behind him and the two found themselves leaping up the stairs, four at a time. The whole house was several degrees too cool, but Jacob knew the goose bumps over his skin were that of fear rather than of chill.

The second floor seemed even more cold, but there was a relaxing feeling about it...it was an unnatural lull which calmed Jacob down as soon as he hit the landing. Ah, of course. Jasper.

Jacob and Embry checked door-to-door. One room was frilly and purple, one was filled with books, one was an office...and then, behind them they heard someone clear their throat. While both boys whipped around, they saw Carlisle walking out of the room farthest to the opposite side of the hallway they were venturing. They ran down toward him, Jacob felt nervous.

"How is she?" Both Embry and Jacob asked quickly. Jacob felt like he could jump out of his skin and beside him, he could feel that Embry was rigid with tremoring with worry. Carlisle was taking off white operation gloves with crimson stained fingertips, Jacob suddenly felt himself going anxiously rigid as well.

"She had a severe attack." Carlisle said, his young features suddenly looking old with worry. This worried Jacob, the doctor had never looked worried when he was working with a beaten up werewolf. "This ended up blocking all of her airways, I had to give her medication to relax her muscles so I could put a tube through her nasal cavity. She's currently hooked onto a respirator."

Embry took in a quick intake of breath. Jacob was immediately jealous, for he felt like he couldn't breathe at all. His body was shaking while goose bumps overwhelmed his skin. Embry's mumbling viciousness interrupted his thoughts. "Okay, that explains what _happened, _but not how she's doing." Carlisle briefly closed his eyes before opening them again to speak.

"Well, we were worried about the possibility of brain damage since she was starved of oxygen for such a long period of time...but, Edward can hear coherent brain activity, so we know that she still has rational thought and no damage in that _particular _area of the brain." He looked to Embry sadly. "That, however, doesn't mean that she has retained all control over her neuromuscular or nervous systems."

"'K, that is half-sensible, but dumb it down a bit more just in case." Jacob said slowly, fear making his voice tremble near the end. Carlisle looked from the two boys, back to the closed door, and back to Jacob.

"When she fainted, she went too long without air to her brain, so we aren't sure if there was any damage. She is able to think, we know, but that doesn't mean she will have basic motor functions: like being able to hear, move, feel..." He trailed off and looked back to the door, avoiding the werewolves eyes. "And because of that, we have no indication of how long it will be until she will regain consciousness."

Embry's tremors started mixing with trembling. Jacob saw that he had started to get his glossy eyes and that his friends lip was quivering. Jacob himself felt like his fingers were numb. It felt so surreal.

"Can we see her?" Jacob could barely tell that it was his voice that had spoken, his voice was weak and shaking. His chest felt compressed with worry. Horrible visions of what she would look like filled his thoughts, ridiculous images of giant metal tubes a foot wide going into her head...

"Of course...we haven't been able to tell if she is responding to human life yet. We wanted to try human touch," he grimaced a tad. "But we will leave that up to you. We are too cold, it may not have an effect." He moved away from the door, something on his white lab coat hit the door and made a clang which sent a sharp pain through Jacob's stomach.

Embry went first. Jacob could not make himself move. Everything was starting to feel too real, too terrifying. There was beeping in the pale blue room. There were two large machines, one was letting out strange _whooshing _amounts of air, one was beeping loudly. So there was a respirator _and _a heart rate monitor. Her heart rate read that it was slow, but strong. Jacob breathed deeply, looking from the metal machines to the bed.

Rayn was still pale, but had regained some of her colour. Her lips were starting to regain a bit of pink, her cheeks were flushed. She was still wearing her oversized shirt and she was covered with a thick blanket. Her arms looked just as pale as her face, there was an IV in her arm and a metal cover over her right index finger. The tube in her arm was under a centimetre thick and it went from the _whooshing _respirator and up her nose. There were traces of blood just underneath it. That must be where the blood on Carlisle's fingertips came from.

Embry let out something between a choke and a laugh as he leant down on her right side, nearer the machines. He looked very closely at her, near tears again. "She hates needles." He muttered, looking directly at the IV in her arm.

Jacob felt a wave of guilt. Poor Embry, having to see his cousin like this. Having to see this because of his _other _cousin. This was all just so badly timed...if they had have drawn out their conversation longer, Rayn wouldn't have been up to see Leah burst in. If Leah hadn't have burst into the house in her wolf form like a complete moron, Rayn wouldn't have gotten so scared.

Scared...of a wolf. Rayn was scared of wolves. Suddenly, the guilt turned into a scared sense of remorse. Jacob Black was a werewolf, and his imprint was afraid of wolves. Jacob had an imprint who was afraid of a wolf so much _smaller _and more elegant than his own form...Rayn was afraid of wolves.

"Embry-" Jacob started, his chest feeling like it was ready to explode out of worry and regret. Embry shook his head as he leaned against Rayn's arm, careful to avoid the tubes.

"She's cold. Come warm up her left side." Jacob shut his mouth, this was not the time to worry Embry with his selfish thoughts of imprinting. Embry was in pieces as he watched his cousin, who had been so close to death, as she lay on a bed. Jacob walked over to the bed and took her hand. It was clammy, cold, weak, and limp. It felt like rubber. Jacob tried to remember how he felt when he had held her hand the evening before...it only made him feel sick. A knock came from the door.

"Jacob, can I talk to you?" Bella's voice sounded from the doorway. Jacob closed his eyes in annoyance. Bella was _not _who he needed to see right now. Having a conversation with Bella was actually the antithesis of what he wanted.

"Not now." He said simply, looking up to Rayn's face, trying to see if her eyes were at least moving. If she was dreaming...if she was responsive at all. He squeezed her hand and felt as his first sob came close and locked in his throat...she did not squeeze back.

"Please. It's important." It wasn't a question, it wasn't a plea, it was closer to an order. Jacob turned around with angry eyes, trying to tell her that she needed to _go away, _but the look in her eyes made him freeze. She looked like she was close to tears as well. He knew that it was impossible to actually happening, vampires couldn't cry, but she looked like when she had when Edward was gone. Close to tears, that sorrow in her eyes.

"Fine. Fast." He said quickly, it seemed to be the only thing he could get out. Bella took it as an answer and walked into the hallway, Jacob followed. She closed the door as soon as he had ducked through it and sighed briefly, trying to look through it. She looked back to him with that sad glare.

"Alice said she'll wake up soon." She said slowly, expressionless. She was purposely trying to stay stoic as she spoke to him. Jacob felt confused...why was this a bad thing? Rayn would wake up soon, they could tell if anything was wrong, and then he could fix it.

"But...that's good, isn't it?" He asked slowly. Bella looked down towards the ground. She took a deep breath.

"She'll wake up, Alice couldn't really tell if anything was wrong...I can help you speed up the process if you want by telling you what you have to do to make it happen, Alice told me what would happen before she did...I don't know if it will actually make it go faster, but I guess there's no harm in trying." Jacob nodded his head quickly. "Well, Embry has to make a call...I don't remember who to, but he has to make a call." Bella looked back up to him, her eyes looking for a way out before she continued. "Then, you have to leave."

"What do you mean I have to leave? I'm not going anywhere!" Jacob said quickly, looking back at the door and thinking of just barging through it.

"You'll know as soon as she wakes up." Bella said quietly. "Embry needs to be the one to calm her when she wakes up. You just need to be out of the room. That's what Alice saw...because she saw you rushing up the stairs."

"How would I know to rush up the stairs at the right time?" Jacob asked suspiciously, her eyes narrowing towards Bella. She bit her lip lightly.

"You'll just know." She placed her hand on his shoulder, the cold seeping through the thin cotton. It was a silent battle of ice and fire before she stepped away and disappeared down the stairs. Jacob looked at the door, too afraid to open it. He peaked his head in to see Embry tattered, arms cradling his head as he held himself on Rayn's bed.

Jacob's voice came out rough and faint. "Apparently you need to make a phone call."

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**3810 words later, it seemed we barely got anywhere...but just to put a bit more suspense and idea of what's going to happen in your heads: think about these:**

**- Why is Bella so nervous?**

**- Why can't Jacob be in the room?**

**- Who is Embry calling?**

**- How will Jacob know she's awake?**

**- What is the relevance of the strange smell (or lack thereof)?**

**- Why can't Rayn go to the hospital?**

**- How will all of this be answered in the next chapter (well, save maybe the smell)?!**

**  
Read and find out. Review to make these things come faster!!!! :) Thank you everyone!**

**--Egypt**


	9. Snarling

**Hahaha! Since I already have Aleksiina on the edge of her chair, I won't keep this one waiting any longer, even if it only has been a couple of hours! So, I know I left you guys with a lot of questions in the last one, this one is mostly dialogue in the second half answering **_almost _**all of them. You are about to learn a lot about a Ms. Rayn Talon, so I hope you enjoy. PLEASE review just so you can tell me if you like the story now that you know more about the character, I really want to know what you guys think of her after you read it and what you think the story will turn into. Please? Pretty please?**

**I own none of the Twilight Characters or Original Plot(s), I only own the Talons and the two friends mentioned, oh, and this randomness I keep writing as a spinoff. **

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Jacob was outside the Cullen's house, in human form, waiting for news. He had stayed inside with Rayn as Embry called someone named 'Roma'. He had tried to keep her warm by holding her hand, but something told him it wouldn't do much good, even if he _was _108.9 degrees warm. Jacob had hoped that maybe Bella had been wrong, maybe Rayn would wake up while Embry was calling and she would hug him, hold him, and kiss him in gratitude...but no such thing happened.

She just laid there, immobile. Breathing with a machine and laying there like ice.

As Jacob paced the length of the lawn before the woods, Jacob contemplated her laying there. How it looked like all his worst nightmares of Bella. How he could imagine her on a table being transformed into a cold, pale vampire and how he could do nothing to change the course of it...that's what it felt like with Rayn. The problem was, when he dreamed of Bella he had never imprinted and known what it was like to feel for Rayn. To really _feel _in comparison to anything else, at all.

Jacob knew that imprinting happened fast and he was growing more and more conscious that his world was quickly revolving around the unconscious girl in the bed. He also knew that there was nothing he could do to stop it. Even if the situation became suddenly difficult...

...Like the fact that she was afraid of wolves. For any other couple, that would never have been a problem, but Jacob knew that would be a serious problem. The fact that she was afraid of wolves would not make her happy to know that she was the imprint of a boy who turned into one. A big one. A huge, bear-like wolf that could crush you with one paw.

It had been nearly two and a half hours of waiting. He had thought of sitting down or going back in, but the chance that Alice wasn't lying was too much to bear. If she would wake up faster then he would wait.

Or...what if the leeches just wanted to separate him and Embry so that they could have a better fighting chance so they could feast on Rayn? _Or _what if they sent Bella up to distract him so that they could run tests on them, or possibly even kill Embry? Bella had looked extremely guilty...

Jacob sighed. That was all a bullshit excuse to make himself feel better and he knew it. He shouldn't make himself feel better by having a reason to kill the vampires, they had just saved Rayn's life...for now.

To be honest, a large part of him just wanted to phase into his wolf form and tell the vampires to suck it up. He wanted to know more about that...that lack of smell. That sour sensation that came with a muted smell. But there was a larger part of him, something he had to continually fight to stay outside of the house, that was drawn close to where Rayn was. When he had first tried to leave her it had been unsuccessful. He found himself constantly going closer and closer to the house, waiting for a sign from Rayn that she was awake, but none ever came. If he kept his distance, it would happen sooner. The longer he waited, the sooner it'd come.

Jacob also couldn't stand to phase because it would then get too long to get to Rayn. He would have to phase back into his human form, put on all his clothes, and get up the stairs to the room. That was at least three minutes of work. Three minutes that could turn into thirty seconds if he was ready for when it happened. And on top of that, he didn't want to explain to the pack what was happening. Sam had already seemed mad that they were breaking the boundaries and going to the vampires for help, anyway.

Jacob tried to understand what all was happening...he tried not to look into the window where he saw Edward and Bella pretend not to watch him. What _was _Bella to him now?

It was strange how much his attraction for her had faded...no, his attraction for her had not faded. Even if she was a vampire that reeked of bleach and death, she was beautiful. She was Bella...a fact that it had taken him over an hour of deep thought to come up with in itself. It was not his attraction that had changed for her, but his dependence on her survival. Now that was switched to someone else. Someone with bright aqua eyes hidden beneath dark lids on a bed upstairs...

Jacob shook his head roughly. He had to stop picturing it, it was causing bullets of pain to echo through his chest. It was making his breath quicken and his head hurt...

Then, a feeling much worse entered him. It shot through his mind like hot bolts of lightning, it hurt all of his senses, his eyes watered, his nose wrinkled, his ears screamed in pain.

The bloodcurdling scream came out of nowhere. Jacob watched as Edward and Bella's heads snapped behind them and as they quickly ran in a blur and disappeared. Jacob's heart raced...what was happening? Who was screaming? Was someone attacking Rayn and Embry? Was someone trying to hold someone else back? Had that psychic had a vision that was making her so scared she would let out this kind of scream? Had Rayn...was Rayn...

He couldn't finish the thought. He didn't give himself time to. Jacob ran over the lush green lawn, his bare feet giving him that extra bit of speed. He burst through the closed door, he may have broken it off of it's hinges. He could fix it later, he was good at fixing things. The white carpet was scratchy under his feet after he had left the grass, the stairs were too slippery to get up as quickly as he wanted to. He was sliding out of nervousness, fumbling...the sound was getting louder the closer to Rayn's room he ran. Was it Bella screaming? Was it her battle cry as she suddenly went bloodthirsty over the only human in the house? Was it Alice as she tried to fend off her freaky boyfriend?

Jacob went down the hall, seeing multiple people lined up near the door, but purposely giving him room to get in through the door. It looked like a procession of solemn faces lined up at the door. Edward's emotions looked purposely hidden. Jacob could have shoved them out of the way for being in the way, but sadly they weren't and they were too far out of the way for him to push without wasting time. Jacob did not try and count which of the bloodsuckers were there and which were not. It could have been all of them causing the screaming, it could have been all of them trying to prevent him from Rayn and he would go down fighting, that was _if _he didn't find a way to win.

Jacob burst into the room, waiting impatiently for his brain to comprehend what he was seeing. When he did he stumbled four steps back.

First he saw Carlisle, reaching and toying with the machinery and IVs in the body on the bed. Then he saw Embry, leaning over the bed, holding something firmly in place, the veins in his arms bulging with effort. He was saying something loudly over the screaming as he looked down upon what he was holding. He was holding Rayn. Holding her arms as she shook and convulsed, her legs and head flailing...her mouth open in a disturbing vicious snarl.

It was she who was screaming.

Jacob tried to process what he was hearing. Why would Rayn look so ferocious and be thrashing...just a few hours ago, she was unable to move or breathe. Then another thought hit him, one that made him take one more step back so that his back hit the wall behind him...

Rayn was supposed to be mute. She wasn't supposed to be able to scream _anyway. _

"_Embry_!" Jacob thundered, looking to Embry with smouldering, accusative eyes. Embry looked back to him with wide, worried eyes. "What the hell is going on?"

Embry looked back down to Rayn, waiting as he swallowed thickly.

"Just wait a minute Jake. I'll explain when she's done." His voice was barely loud enough to get past Rayn's high pitched squeal. Jacob analyzed the sound. It was pained, angry. It was also scared...it was out of fear and defence. It was the type of scream that you heard when people were running away from serial killers, the type of scream you would hear when someone was trying not to die.

Carlisle took a needle to the tube going into her arm, quickly injecting it to the flow going into her veins. Jacob watched, with silent and hungry eyes to see everything that happened. It took about thirty seconds for Rayn to stop convulsing and fighting, the screaming died next. The sounds coming from her continued, they sounded like low grunts of pain and whimpers. Her thrashing started to look more like violent twitching as her aqua eyes began to glass over, as her eyelids began to droop. She let out one loud whimper of pain, as her nails stopped digging into Embry's forearms and Embry let go of her own, her hands sliding down his arms before she quickly went limp again.

Everyone stayed silent as they waited. They waited for someone to speak, most likely one of the werewolves. Instead, Carlisle turned around from where he had just placed the syringe.

"That should keep her sedated for a short while. I don't want to give her very much since we don't know the extent of her brain function. It's clear that you need to talk, we will leave you-"

"But I-" Alice interrupted from outside the door, Jasper put an arm around her stomach and shook his head. She closed her mouth and looked down towards the floor.

"-Alone." Carlisle finished, pulling his lips into a tight smile before he walked out of the door. The others followed with him, glancing in one more time before they filed down the stairs. Jacob listened quietly as he heard the TV go on, they put the volume up to try and drown their conversation out as much as possible. But Jacob knew that the leeches would hear every word.

When Jacob turned to round on Embry, Embry was already looking at him from humble, apologetic eyes. He was sitting in his seat beside Rayn and he looked disshelved. Jacob looked at him with cold eyes anyway, but he found he could not hate Embry like he wanted to.

"Jake-" Embry started, it was almost like an exhale of a breath that he had been holding in as he had been holding back Rayn.

"Embry, you told me she was a mute. You told me that she couldn't speak. _Both _of you did!" He tried to keep his voice down so that the vampires wouldn't hear all the information about Jacob, Embry, and Rayn's lives, but he found that it was rather difficult to do. On top of that, he found that it was hard to keep his voice sturdy. It was like he was trying not to explode.

"No." Embry said briefly, holding up a finger in defiance. "We told you that she was _mute, _not _a _mute. And I told you that she _didn't _speak, not couldn't. You were the one who took that to be the fact that she physically had no voice." Embry stopped being a know-it-all as soon as it was finished and it looked like he was slightly ashamed. "We didn't mean to lie to you or anything. She just hates it when people ask questions."

Jacob looked at Embry briefly, questions flying through his head. He didn't know what to ask first. He didn't know what to accuse first. He didn't know what to yell first. He decided first would come answers.

"Does she normally talk, or did she just decide not to talk while she was here?" Embry shook his head, looking to Rayn briefly before he could make his eyes meet Jacob's own. Embry's voice was laced with pain.

"Rayn hasn't properly spoken since Leo died." Jacob didn't like that answer.

"What do you mean, 'properly spoken'?" He asked, he knew he was being pushy and snobby, but he thought that it was his right to know that his _imprint _could speak. He waited impatiently for Embry's answer, giving a little grunt to hint that Embry should think faster.

"I mean that she doesn't speak words. I never hear her do the things she used to: she doesn't hum, she doesn't grunt, she doesn't scream, she doesn't sing, she doesn't speak, she doesn't make any sort of sound at all-"

"Clearly she does." Jacob muttered to himself.

"-unless she's having one of her fits." Embry finished. Jacob waited for him to continue, he could tell that Embry was having trouble wording whatever he was thinking. "Listen...since Rayn doesn't talk about it, I read from the police report that Rayn was found _with _Leo. She was all bloody, she looked horrible. I saw pictures. She was shaken and she was in complete shock."

Jacob looked over to Rayn's now very still body. She was so beautiful, even after what he had seen...but her viciousness had been terrifying. She had been thrashing and fighting like she was trying to kill Embry, she looked like she was a newborn vampire the way she was unstoppably angry.

"She was never mute before that day. Actually, she was really enthusiastic and always talking. She was always happy and never really shut up...Leo was 16 when he died. He could play the hell out of a guitar and they would always sing together...she would dance...Rayn loved to dance. She used to be really good. She stopped when he died.

"When the police found her with Leo, they took her automatically into police custody, Sky and Jason barely got a word to her before she was taken away for questioning. But she was totally unresponsive. They thought at first she had gone deaf, but she wouldn't write to them and wouldn't acknowledge they were even there. Then they thought she was like Helen Keller or something, I don't know...she just never responded to anything." He sighed, looking to Rayn as if he were looking for the answers that he could not give to Jacob. Jacob felt his chest deflate. How could he be angry with Embry for lying after a story like that? Guilt set in quickly, he found himself wobbling over to the chair at the other side of the bed, near her legs. He sat himself down.

"So, what made her start reacting?" He asked, urging Embry lightly and trying to show that he was no longer going to explode.

"Animals." Embry whispered. "That's why they thought it was some form of animal attack or something...she would respond to flash cards with animals on them in fear. Wolves and bears." Jacob felt himself shutter. Of course. "So, the doctors and psych's worked with her until she was fully responsive, but she refused to relive the story. They thought they had blocked the memory out of her head, but I don't think she did. She's too sensitive when it comes up...they also announced that she had psychological Aphonia due to traumatic events. Meaning, she saw _something _so terrifying she shut her mouth to keep it to herself."

"Like her brother being mauled to death." Jacob noted.

"Exactly. Then, her parents started noticing that she was having these fits at night. They got progressively worse and worse and they started talking to Leah's Mom about them who talked to my Mom...anyway, we all knew she could talk but that she wouldn't. I think that's why Leah hates her so much, because she just won't tell her what happened to Leo.

"The fits are pretty bad. Sometimes they're just like nightmares, but sometimes like you just saw they're...almost lucid. She's aware she's awake and there are people around, but its like she thinks _she's _being mauled or something. She never remembers them when she wakes up."

"Okay." Jacob said quietly, looking up to Rayn who was now breathing quietly. Her eyes had stopped moving behind her eyelids and she seemed very calm, her breathing, with the respirator, close to human speed. "But that doesn't explain why she couldn't go to the hospital."

Embry froze. His eyes were on the heavy comforter over his cousin's legs, his breath seemed to stop. He seemed completely shocked as if Jacob wasn't supposed to know that she wasn't allowed to go to the hospital. Embry looked up at him with cautious eyes.

"She ran away." He said simply. He looked back at Rayn and stopped talking. Jacob, unhappy with this simple and riddle of an answer narrowed his eyes.

"That tells me nothing. What do you mean 'she ran away'? From where?" Jacob asked. Embry sighed, grabbing Rayn's hand and looking back to Jacob.

"After Leo died, Sky and Jason wanted to know what happened. Rayn couldn't..._wouldn't _tell them. They ended up hating her for it, trying to get her to tell them what happened so they could figure it out I guess. We don't really know. But they ended up blaming Rayn for everything. I heard one of the arguments once, Sky saying that it was 'all her fault. It was her fault he was gone. She should have just listened', it was horrible. She was only thirteen.

"Leah wasn't lying. They basically went crazy. Obsessed that maybe Leo wasn't dead or maybe it was something more than what the police had thought...but they had no proof. And Rayn wouldn't help them. Children's Aid stepped in, it was apparently an unfit home for her because they worked all day were never home at night since they were off playing detectives.

"So, Sky quit her job. But that of course made things worse. So, Rayn ran away and came here. The whole family promised to keep it a secret. But the problem is, they started getting really good with this detective work. Had police that were helping them and everything...if there is any word that Rayn Talon is actually here, then they'd come and get her." Embry shook his head, looking down to the blanket again. There was a sudden anger in his eyes when he looked up to Jacob. "I've seen her beat by them before. It was horrible. I'm not letting her go back to that. If she had went to the hospital, her name would have been on file. They would have been on their way by now."

Jacob and Embry stayed quiet for a long time, listening to the increasing beating of Rayn's heart. It seemed that it was getting stronger and slightly faster. A good sign, she was starting to feel better. Maybe she would _really _wake up soon.

"So who did you call, then?" Jacob asked, looking at Embry again. None of them really wanted to look at Rayn's face it seemed. It was like they were telling her secrets behind her back and Jacob didn't really know for sure, but he felt ashamed, and Embry probably did, too.

"Roma and Remy, they're twins. Rayn's best friends." Embry rolled his eyes. "From what I remember of Roma, she's probably the most _annoying _girl in history, a lot like that Alice downstairs, but worse. Because she's much more outspoken. She doesn't need to see your future to be able to butt into your business. She just _does _it." He shook his head.

"Alright, continue on with the story." Jacob chuckled lowly.

"Roma is furious that Rayn's already gotten hurt. It was her idea for all this to happen. So, she's going over to Rayn's parents house, grabbing her prescription and driving out a ways so that she can get Rayn's prescription filled out. Then she and Remy are coming here." he crinkled his nose. "Not excited."

Jacob had always wanted to know more about Rayn, but now that he had he's not sure if he would have wanted the choice. Rayn had been through a lot of pain. And inside of that pain was the lack of someone to protect her. Wasn't that what Jacob was supposed to be? What if he had met her when she used to come here to visit her cousins? What if she had met him and he had imprinted on her sooner? Would things have been different? Would _Rayn _have been different?.......Would he have imprinted on Rayn if she was different?

Maybe that's exactly why he had imprinted on Rayn, because she _needed _that protection. Maybe that's really what it was, the person who would best protect them or who needed protection were the ones werewolves imprinted on.

Jacob shook his head, she had been through far too much. He felt bad for Embry, who had to live through it with her. And who just had to repeat it for him. Jake bowed his head, playing with a fluff on the blanket.

"Listen man, I'm really sorry I made you - you know, I'm sorry I made you relive that. I shouldn't have pushed or anything." He muttered. He felt kind of stupid for doing it, but his guilt would never have let him get away from apologizing. Embry shook his head.

"It's not a problem, Jake. You probably would have found out anyway...maybe from Leah. And I'd much rather you hear it from me." Jake looked up to see Embry's cheeky grin and couldn't help but grin himself. "So, you and Rayn?"

"Pft," Jacob shook it off. "You're getting ahead of yourself."

"Am I? There was a very intimate moment in the bedroom when you woke her up this morning." Embry was trying to make light of the situation. Jacob didn't know whose benefit he was doing it for, but he wasn't about to complain.

"We'll see if she's interested, first. 'K?" Jacob muttered.

"Oh, you don't have to worry about that." Embry sat back in his chair, hand still holding on to Rayn's. "She let me know that she was _very _interested."

"Bull." Jacob said at once, though he leaned forward ever-so-slightly in his chair.

"It's true! She signed it to me after I told her that you carried her home. She got this dreamy look in her eyes and I was reminded of all those stupid romance movies that she and I always used to diss."

"A girl who hates romance movies? Non existent." Jacob said with a laugh.

"I guess. Rayn likes a couple of them, but they have to have some sort of cool drama...she really likes witches, vampires and werewolves and...stuff." He said with a sneer.

"That may help our cause." Jacob laughed, but felt slightly worried himself. He looked to Embry, both their faces suddenly very serious. "She really saw her brother die?"

Embry did not move his gaze from him as he nodded sadly.

"So she's never spoken since? Man," he sighed heavily. "I can't believe you didn't tell me. I mean she's -" A loud sniff alerted the two. Both of them whipped their heads to the side to see a pair of bright aqua eyes, made more vibrant because of the red rims and pale skin. She was crying.

'_I'm sorry_.' She mouthed before she disintegrated into tears.

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**Well, I hope you enjoyed that chapter. I am not sure how long it will be before my next update, but I hope that this satisfies you for a bit until I can get the next one out. **

**PLEASE REVIEW so I know what you think about Rayn. Pretty crazy, eh? I looked it up and found out all about that specific type of muteness. It's really intense. Anyway, I hope to update for you soon, but don't hold your breath, something big is coming up in life that may require a lot of attention, but I'll try to squeeze one out as soon as possible!!!**

**--Egypt**


	10. Suspicion

**I know, it has been so long since I've updated! Well my dear readers, I have another chapter for you and I think that it's a very interesting one. It is ****much**** happier than the past few that you have had to endure and hopefully by the end a couple of you will be cheering! I am so sorry for the delay!**

**Stephenie Meyer owns her universe, I only own that which I am allowed to toy around with in Rayn's personal universe which just ****happens**** to look exactly like hers...**

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It had been three days now, and Rayn had no serious damage. She had a lot of chest pain, due to some fractured ribs, she was finding it difficult to move individual fingers, and she of course was very short of breath. After they had finished checking her over she had asked questions about the wolf, but Jacob and Embry dismissed it quickly: saying that it had run from the house scared. Rayn seemed sceptical and as much as Jacob would have liked her to believe it, he didn't blame her for doubting. The wolf was twice her size.

Carlisle recommended that the best thing for her was rest so that her body could get used to breathing more easily, but she wasn't to be left alone just in case. Jacob and Embry weren't sure if it was because of the asthma or the fits in her sleep, but they didn't really argue. Rayn slept soundly for most of it, more tossing and turning than moaning.

The groaning was painful for Jacob to listen to. It pulled at his chest as if his heart was beating so hard that it was trying to dislodge all of his ribs. There was one point where he touched her hand and she violently flinched away from him, he felt his heart stop beating in general.

Quickly deciding that seeing her during these fits were a little too much for him, Jacob got to reading the book that Embry had brought from home for him. Embry had rushed back to get her clothes and in doing so, had grabbed the book Rayn had given him to teach him sign language.

Jacob never read a book more closely.

"Oh, you're up." Embry's voice rang from the doorway. Jake's head jerked up, Embry had been in touch with the pack and Jake hadn't felt like he had been reading _that _long. Embry started to walk towards Rayn's bedside as Jacob looked to Rayn. She was looking back at him with a small smile on her face. Their eyes caught one another's, a violent clash of light and darkness before she turned away, a blush creeping up her cheeks. "I was just coming back to check if you guys wanted anything to eat."

Rayn hesitated for a long moment before she nodded, giving a couple short hand gestures. Jacob quickly identified two, 'kind' and 'food'. He was going through the alphabet letter by letter, the others must have been farther back...that, or, he wasn't paying close enough attention.

"I don't know, I was thinking of buying something. The Cullen's fridge is a little bare. Want anything in particular?" Jacob caught another hand sign in her next flurry of movement, 'cook'.

"No, I don't think you should cook here. Besides, you've only been off the respirator and monitors for a day. We - _all of us here _- will not just let you get up to cook. You may hurt yourself." Embry's dark eyes flashed to his own...yeah, hurt herself and the blood may cause a vampire frenzy. That would be _just _what Rayn needed, more near-death experiences and more imagery for her nightmares.

Rayn gave a disappointed sigh before signing something that Jacob didn't catch.

"Sounds good...'anything' sound good to you, too?" Embry asked with a smirk towards Jacob. Jake smiled and nodded.

"Sounds delicious. Try to keep away from anything you find on the ground that's brown or yellow." Embry clicked his tongue.

"Damn, that was my first thought!" He laughed before he quickly kissed Rayn on the top of the head. "I'll be back in an hour or so, I'll go to Port Angeles. Behave. Please?" Embry asked lightly. Rayn smiled and reached her arms out to hug him, Embry embracing her quickly.

Jake felt like he was interrupting on a very private moment. Part of him wanted to turn away because he was embarrassed, and another - possibly larger - part of him wanted to stay because he was...dare he say it, jealous? Rayn did not hold her arms out for him to embrace her, nor did she seem so sad to see him go...it uprooted something very foreign in the back of his throat.

Embry left after the embrace had finished and Jake looked over to Rayn, whose eyes were already shyly on him. He smiled, it probably looked strange and lopsided. Rayn smiled back at him, looking like she was very close to laughing.

"I'm sorry that you woke up to hearing Embry and I talking about that," Jacob said after a moment. "We didn't mean to upset you." Rayn shook her head, taking one of her hands and creating an oh before throwing it away, causing three fingers to extend. 'Okay', Jake recalled.

Rayn signalled that she wanted him to grab something near him and noticed that she was reaching for her notebook and pencil. Jacob handed it to her, making sure that he 'accidentally touched her hand'. He couldn't help but smile, she was warm again. She didn't have that unnatural chillness to her skin, nor was it clammy. She was her normal, unnaturally warm, alive, human self.

She blushed quickly before snatching her hand away to scribble madly on her notepad. Jacob watched, even if he couldn't see what she was writing.

_Will you pretend for a minute you aren't friends with Embry _

_and let me go for a walk? I want time to think._

Jacob looked at her with a furrowed brow. She wanted time to think...alone...there was nowhere she could possibly walk that wasn't her going through the woods. Jacob shook his head, before quickly saying.

"It's all forest around here, if you get lost or collapse we won't be able to find you." Jacob said slowly. But he could see that she was already forming a plan. She waited to make sure he was finished his explanation before she scribbled.

_I'll only go twenty or thirty yards into the woods._

"Not good enough." Jacob said with a smirk. "There's a river about thirty five feet in," his mind silently screamed that it was actually 42 yards, "you could fall in and drown."

_What if I promise to stay by the river so that you can come get me _

_whenever you get worried? I promise! Please?_

Jacob looked at her slowly, her eyes wide with promise. She seemed very determined, and above that she seemed very upset. She looked like she was trying to make her eyes look as if they were begging and Jacob noticed that her hands were gripping the fabric tightly, as if anticipating the idea being rejected.

"Just to the river. If you go across it, you're doomed. I'll give you half an hour to forty-five minutes." He said lowly. Rayn's eyes widened, she shook her head a bit out of shock, then a giant smile grew across her face. That smile that was too large for her and she seemed to jump off the bed to hug him.

Jacob froze. He had been sitting so she was leaning over awkwardly to hug him (how he would feel were he ever to hug anyone else) and her arms were wrapped tight around his neck. Jacob couldn't help but shiver under her warm touch, the smell of green apples, vanilla, and cinnamon filling his nose. She felt small in his arms like this, delicate. Fragile. As if with one push she would break into twenty thousand pieces. Jacob snaked his arms around her, trying to make sure that she wasn't broken in the process.

The hug was held for a long time. Too long, but at the same time not long enough. Jacob thought he may have heard a sigh in his ear, but wasn't sure if she was just letting out a breath a little too close or not. When she pulled away her face was crimson.

She went to the chair Embry usually occupied and grabbed the clothes that were there. it looked like a pair of caprice and another giant shirt...Embry clearly didn't know what 'fashion' was, that, or he was worried that Jake would be a little to interested in what clothes she wore. Maybe Embry got jealous, too?

Rayn was out in three minutes, dressed in a large lime green shirt that had sleeves that went to her elbows and blue jean caprice, she had her bag with her. That fuchsia draw string bag that she always seemed to have around. She had her white and aqua runners on and her hair was pulled into a high ponytail. She smiled to him, already at the door before she mouthed.

'_Time me._' And ran, as fast as she could down the stairs. Jacob counted each stair, noticing that she seemed to have skipped a couple. He heard her shoes hitting against the tile before there was a loud creak and a slam of the door. As soon as the door was closed, Jacob stood. Honestly, had she really thought that she would be alone? Well, even if she caught him, she wouldn't catch _him. _He could let her think, she could think to herself all she wanted and if she thought better when she felt alone then so be it...but he couldn't actually stand the thought of her _actually _being alone. Jacob walked through the house just as quickly as Rayn had and by the time he was almost to the edge of the clearing he began to strip off his clothes, leaving them in a pile inside the brush.

As much as Jacob was worried, the feeling of him being in his wolf form was absolutely wonderful. It was one of the best feelings in the world. He smelled the air quickly, catching the smell of vanilla before he trudged off, quietly, to find it. There were irritated voices in his head.

_Great, I get to be on patrol and hear this lovebird sing all day. _Leah groaned, but another thought interrupted her own, one that was far more important.

_You let her just _go out _like that?! Jake, are you stupid? _Embry's furious snarl broke through the other thoughts. Jared and Paul were just phasing out as all of this was happening. It seemed Jacob had come in just while there was a change of shift.

_No, it's not that. _Seth's happy voice came in. _We're having a meeting for that weird smell we found. _The rest of the pack could probably feel that he was insulted because Seth continued. _No, it's nothing personal. We thought that you should stay with Rayn and that when she was asleep tonight Embry could fill you in. _

_Why are you having it in human form then? Usually our meetings are through wolf minds. _Jacob asked, noticing the lack of voices and how strange it was to know that something big was up.

_Because, the smell has started to drift towards certain houses so Sam also wants to explain to certain people..._a flash of his own house alerted Jacob that this seemed to be a serious case. He could feel Seth agree with him before he phased out.

Rayn's smell was potent now, very close to him. He could hear the sound of running water as well as her footsteps which were snapping small twigs. Jacob watched her from the shadows as she stopped in the clearing, looking up towards the tree tops and then down to the grass. She bent down, one hand pulling up the back of her jeans to keep them from falling down too far, the other touching the grass in front of her. It seemed she was testing the moisture. Jacob could feel intrigue in Leah and Embry as they kept trotting towards Sam's house.

Rayn seemed to stop for a long moment to decide what to do next. Looking around, she observed her options. She looked at the trees which created the funnel shape that followed the water, took in the clear blue of the river which separated the space into two halves, and looked back to where she came from. Jacob ducked under the brush slightly, trying not to be seen but her head had whipped back to the water so quickly, he knew he was in the clear.

_Maybe you should come grab some clothes and join her? _Embry's voice sounded, reminding Jacob he was not alone. Jacob turned down the idea automatically.

_I am not here to interfere, I'm here to guard. She wanted to think, I'll let her think. _Jacob said sternly, laying out the lines he had drawn out for himself to also be followed by those who were meddling in his thoughts. Embry shrugged the idea off as well.

Rayn let out a tuneless huff. Jacob saw her quickly reach into her fuchsia bag and grab something which looked to be a small clock radio. He watched in curiosity as she quickly turned it on, adjusting the ancient knob to a station that sounded peppy and as she fiddled with the other knob to turn up the volume. If he were human he would have marched up to her and told her what a mistake that was. She already wouldn't scream if she were in trouble, now she wouldn't be able to hear if she was in trouble to begin with? How careless was she? But Jacob's angry thoughts were quickly distracted. And fully distracted.

Rayn had kicked off her aqua laced shoes, and was tugging off her lime green ankle socks. She shimmied up her oversized shirt so she could take her hands to her belt and started shimmying the pants down her legs.

_!!!!!!! _Was all that could be identified as Jacob whipped his head away from the stripping girl. He could tell it was Embry and now Leah whose shock registered in his thoughts, but Leah was now ripping something about 'decency'.

_Need I remind you we are spying? Decency is out the window. _Jacob growled before twitching awkwardly. _Think it's safe to look? _

_I don't want to see her naked! _Embry cried. _Oh Lord, should I phase back? I should phase back so that I don't have to...Jacob, you stop thinking that right now!!_

_He's a teenager __**and **__he's imprinted...what did you expect? _Leah added snottily, but with mild amusement as a feeling of superiority lined her words.

_At least I've found someone to imprint with, Leah. When you going to get working on that? Clearly none of __**us **__are your 'one'. _The comment hurt her. He felt her recoil subconsciously from the sting. Quick flashes of Sam passed through the barrier she tried to make of thoughtlessness and he felt a feeling of love towards Sam, unlike the brotherly love held by the rest of the pack. It wasn't long before he also felt his head with only Embry's thoughts wielding them.

_Jake, please don't watch my cousin get naked. Please don't make _me _watch my cousin get naked!_

_Well, how am I supposed to guard her while she's in the woods, Embry? _Jacob asked darkly. _We just lost the only mind who actually, decently, _could_**. **_

Embry sighed. _Fine. Just...Ugh. I'm out of here. Howl if you need us. _And with that, Jacob felt alone. He dwelled in the moment of silence of his mind, also trying to battle with himself over which was more tempting...decency, or longing?

Something strange pulled at him to look at her. Something that was soon answered as a loud splashing and a spray of water from his place in the brush. Before he could consciously remember not to give into instinct: he looked at Rayn, who, was not indecent.

She was wearing some more of her small shorts that she had been wearing the morning she had her attack. They looked almost like underwear, Jacob noticed lightly before trying to focus on the fact that they were slate grey instead of black like the others had been. He sighed, he seemed to pay more attention than he thought.

Her torso was covered by her large green shirt, sticking to her body in ways that Jacob also tried not to notice. Her curly hair was slicked to her head and almost completely straight, save the few knots that were still identifiable. She sighed, contented, as she floated in the water.

Jacob edged forward, closer towards her while she laze over the water, spreading out and testing her weight of balance. She moved her arms to look at her hands a couple times, making intricate shapes in the water. Jake thought of the synchronized swimmers he had once seen on television.

Rayn ducked underwater, swimming around the width of the river. Jake edged more out of the bushes which were interfering with his vision of her. She surfaced again. She slicked her hair back and rubbed her hands over her face. Jacob took another involuntary step forward.

And Rayn froze. Her lovely aqua eyes caught his dark brown. She gasped. She shivered. She slowly started to sink back into the water.

Jacob was caught. He saw the fear in her eyes as she started to back up towards the opposite side of the lake, where her things had not been stored. She must have been terrified. He knew what she saw. A wolf. A big wolf. A bear-like wolf watching her. Not taking his eyes off of hers. With every look in his eyes of longing for her...She was scared. She planned to run into the woods. Away from the monster that mauled her brother. Alone. Towards the Cullens. Away from him. And without meaning to, Jake shook his head.

She stopped moving. From what Jacob could tell, she stopped breathing. Her head tilted slightly, the same way a dog would cock it's head to the side. Confusion plastered across her features. Shaking his head was a very human gesture...and to his surprise it seemed to..._intrigue her?_

Rayn, still very slowly, stood straight in the water. When she was up straight, the water rested just below her hip bones. The water dripping from her hair and the deep breaths Jacob was taking was all that could be heard. Even he was having trouble telling when she was breathing...something told him it wasn't constant enough to keep track of. She was monitoring it for how loud it was and how fast it was before she had another attack. Jacob stepped forward in worry, he could not see her go through that. Not again.

He wanted to warn her. Comfort her. Maybe, possibly, even tell her what he was. But she would be far too scared...she hated wolves. And bears. She had gone through a traumatic moment and saw them as monsters. Even _if _she was intrigued in the monster before her now...But he could not deny the urge hint he wasn't quite a wolf. He could not link himself to himself as 'Jacob Black', but why could he not be a wolf? Her wolf? Her lovely, friendly, protective wolf? The wolf that would protect her against all other wolves?

Against the nagging conscience at the back of his mind, he shook his head again and began to take some steps backward, towards her things.

When she realized where he was headed, she took an involuntary step forward. Her face had paled. Her hands were shaking, but not the familiar shake Jacob was used to. It was not a violent shake as he always saw around him. It was not a shake of warning or of preparation...this was the shake of fear. A shaking of each muscle in her body telling her to run in the opposite direction. But she shook as she walked towards him. Determined not to give up.

Each step was forced, Jacob took a step back to each of her steps forward. He wondered if it looked like _he _were afraid of _her. _Maybe that would comfort her? Jacob watched as Rayn's fear was smothered behind her marvel as she took another step forward. She twisted her foot in the mud at the side of the river, maybe to check for traction? He didn't know for sure. She rubbed her palms against her giant, sopping shirt and took a step closer toward him.

She stayed where she was a moment, waiting to see his reaction. He could only imagine all the possible outcomes of what could happen: Rayn running away scared, Jacob morphing back into his human form and kissing her passionately, or maybe even Jacob running scared from her...

A whine muscled its way up his throat. It escaped through his teeth as high and weak. As soon as the sound escaped him Rayn stiffened, her hand pressed nervously on her side. Jacob bowed his giant head, he would soon scare her away - actually, he was surprised she had lasted this long without her puffer. He knew he should leave since he was blocking her way back, but there were too many reasons that he didn't dare try.

#1. He couldn't imagine leaving her alone for a second on Leech-land.

#2. He needed to be near her in case she did have another asthma attack.

#3. He needed her to accept him for everything he was...

He felt guilt from his selfish thoughts weigh him down so much that he sat down on his haunches and folded his front legs under himself.

Rayn took another step forward, and another and then - remarkably - another...and then a couple more. It wasn't until she was five feet away that her shaky and mechanical steps jerked to a halt. Her breathing was loud, it croaked but as soon as she noticed she ended it harshly, trying to control herself.

Jacob forced his whines back into his throat so that the whimpers cut through the silence. Rayn stretched out her left hand, it trembled nearly as violently as when Jacob was trying to prevent himself from morphing. Jacob felt the need to jump on her hand, feel it against his fur, something pulled him toward the warmth he could almost feel, but he did not budge. As much as he could imagine the gentle caress of her hand against his face, he did not want to scare her.

She took another step forward, looking with wild intensity into Jacob's own dark stare. He waited, watching her eyes calmly as her shaking hand inched closer and closer to his thick, russet coat. He felt anxious and could feel that his eyes were closing as her hand lightly touched his fur.

He could barely contain his happiness as he nestled into her hand, feeling her warmth stroke his fur. He heard her sharply release the breath she had held in a toneless laugh of awe. His eyes groggily opened, a clash of dark against light eyes before her eyes suddenly changed.

Instead of awe, Rayn was puzzled. Her eyes raked his own in confusion watching him before she closed her eyes and smiled, looking up at the sky mouthing what looked to be 'never'. She looked back to him again and smiled a smile that Jacob did not recognize. This smile did not mock, taunt or hold any pride. It was not simply her overly-large smile of happiness, but rather an earth crumbling smile of reckless purity. It was innocently mischievous, wisely naive, and simply extraordinary in all of it's realty.

This smile, bigger than any of her others, did not seem too large for her face, but rather it was too large for the earth to understand and accept. This was the child who Embry spoke of; the child with no fear who hid inside the shy shell that Jacob had met.

Her other hand came to pet Jacob's neck as well while she felt the rumble in his throat. This was, after all, the wolf's equivalent of a moan of happiness or purr. Her hands continued to roam his neck until all he could feel were her arms around him, the smell of her hair below his snout. Orchid. Campfire.

Jacob, as himself, had never hugged Rayn. He had held her, carried her, but had never hugged her. Usually, for him hugs were too awkward and strained. It gave someone a pulled muscle or crick in their neck and never fully satisfied. But Rayn gave him a hug even Bella had not. It wasn't her embracing him, but her clinging to him for fear of the moment to let go. He found himself nestling himself further into the hug, putting his jaw against her shoulder.

She pulled away from him after what had been so long, but not nearly long enough. She looked straight into his eyes, smiling that wide and childish smile before kissing him lightly on the snout. Jacob sniffed loudly in shock, taking in a harsh breath of both surprise and delight. Rayn kissed him a couple of times lightly before she crossed her legs in front of him.

She examined him for a long time, her eyes looking into his for most of the time. She felt his fur, touched his ears, let her hand trail down his nose and overtop of his eyes. She even took a quick look to the rest of his torso, almost as large as a horse before she looked back into his eyes. She seemed curious and maybe even a tad suspicious, but her hands still shook deceiving her confident exterior.

"_Rayn!_" Embry's voice was loud and shocking. It sent chills of sorrow through Jacob as her head snapped towards the voice, back in the direction of the house. "_Rayn, come back to the house _now." It was as if he were an Alpha. His words were so final that it made Rayn take an automatic step in his direction. She looked back to the wolf beside her, Jake catching her eyes.

She looked from Jake to the house, her hand softly pointing into Embry's direction as she furrowed her eyebrows. Her lips clearly formed the name 'Jacob'. His heart raced as she looked back to the wolf with a bemused expression. She quickly slung the fuchsia bag over her shoulder and leaned down in front of Jake. He hadn't noticed that he was now sitting instead of laying again.

She took his gigantic face in her hand and rubbed her cheek against his snout before dashing through the trees. Jacob ran faster, passing her easily with his four wolf legs. Branches whipped his face and twigs stabbed between his toes but Jacob was too elated. She had hugged him, she had kissed him, and she had _liked _him. Not feared him, _liked _him.

He slipped on his clothes, Embry standing only feet away from him. He raised an eyebrow, calling for Rayn again. Jacob joined in this time as he rushed to gather his clothes, hearing her approaching quickly. He would not have had time to get on shoes before she ran out of the wood, short of breath. She bent over briefly and as both boys rushed to her she held up her hand to stop them. She took a couple deep breaths and stood, noticeably paler.

"Hospital room. Respirator. Now." Embry said briefly, sharply pointing over his shoulder towards the house. Rayn dropped her gaze immediately, walking past him with a bowed head. Jake casually walked up beside her, still high from just five minutes ago. He shrugged his shoulders.

"Don't sweat it, he's just worried." He whispered huskily into her ear. Rayn nodded slightly, head still downcast. "You look healthy to me, but just in case...'k?" Rayn nodded again and looked up to him to give a weak, fake smile.

The fake smile which lined her face soon disappeared, being replace with a furrowed brow and dropped jaw. She searched Jacob's eyes for another moment, like she had back in the forest. Jake felt sudden alarm...what had once seemed so easy now seemed so terrifying. For her to find out he was a wolf...surely one visit with her in the wood wouldn't be strong enough for _that. _

Jacob glanced awkwardly around him, "what?" he managed to choke. Rayn looked to the ground, shaking her head with a frustrated look on her face. She looked back to him and smiled that smile far too wide for her face before she walked into the house and out of the fantasy.

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**4732 words later and we have a new twist! So, does Rayn see a similarity between our man and our wolf? Is she starting to feel that unearthly connection between the two of them? I really hope you enjoyed that one, please PLEASE review! **

**I'm sorry for the delay but I hate to say that there may be another pause. Between ex(ish) boyfriend drama and indecent behaviour which causes me to be grounded from phone and computer, it is harder and harder to write a chapter DASH stay up late enough that I can write a bit after everyone's asleep...**

**Please REVIEW!**


	11. Acknowledged

**I'm so sorry it has been so long since my last update! Honestly, I don't know what has gotten into me. Other then the fact I can barely ever get to a computer, I've been going through a lot of boyfriend drama and it's really hard to write a story about falling in love when you feel heartbroken. I know it's not really an excuse or anything, but just so you know it's not that I'm just completely lazy and have hit writers block: that's not the case. I did have writers block for this chapter though, because I didn't know how to explain some of the reactions. I don't really know if I did it well enough. So I'm sorry if I didn't, but I really wanted to get this out for you because I KNOW I will not have writers block with the next one which will be written LOADS better.**

**Actually, I have HUGE inspiration for another Jacob Black story with a huge twist. But I'm going to wait a while before I start writing it. I want to let some of the finer details work themselves out in my head. Besides, if I start it now, one story will end up being abandoned and I happen to really like what I have come up with so far...**

**Anyway. Sorry for the wait, guys! You know that I own nothing SM came up with, only what my strange mind decides to play around with and change. Including my own characters which I get to play around with most!**

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_So, you kept her away from the forest for _how _long? _Seth laughed as Jacob phased into his mind. Jacob knew that if Seth, or any of the guys (plus Leah) could see him what they would see. A giant animal with a wolfish grin and his tongue lolling out of his mouth while his tail wagged.

_Shouldn't you be something productive like _actually _running rounds now that we're smelling the non-smell in more and more places? I mean, hell you look like a puppy._ Jacob could feel Leah's eyes roll. _A giant, obnoxious puppy. I don't understand you boys...imprinting. _She scoffed. Jacob shrugged her off easily. He happened to like imprinting.

It had been three days since Rayn and Jacob had gone through their moment in the woods; three days and she had asked to go back _fourteen _times...Jacob couldn't help but count. He tried not to give himself a big head by thinking she was going back strictly for him, but the way she looked out the window while she was laying in bed told him what he already knew.

_Maybe you should tell her it's you so that all that time you spend with her while she wants to be somewhere else, she'll realize in the end it's you that she likes to be with anyway. _Seth said clumsily, wincing as his sister made fun of his clumsy speech.

Jacob subconsciously shook his head. He had thought many times of ways to tell Rayn that he was the wolf she wanted so badly to see. He had thought of just telling her and morphing when she didn't believe. He had thought of just walking in while he was in wolf form and letting her fawn over him, then changing into his human form and sliding into the bed with her...Jacob also tried not to let his mind roam.

_Ew...._Leah groaned. _How am I supposed to concentrate when this idiot can't concentrate on anything under NC-17? Don't you have _any _limits?_ Limits such as to 'stay in wolf form' and 'keep in check' were the only limits he had been given. These were of course from Embry, who kept repeating them frantically.

_Where _is _Embry? Or is it Jared who's supposed to be patrolling? Who is supposed to be the other wolf on duty? Maybe I could just let him take over so I don't have to hear this. _Leah groaned. _After all, we aren't able to cover all the land just the two of us since Seth is _so slow.

_Shut up, Leah! _Seth whined. But Jacob was lost in his own thoughts.

Jacob had noticed that Embry was not happy over the Jacob-Rayn situation. In fact, Embry seemed very upset by the fact that Rayn was so excited to go back into the forest in the first place. He was always grumpy and snapped more often then he had even before his cousin had been in the hospital bed on a constant respirator.

_No wonder Cullen hates you so much. One look into your head and it's so...disgustingly one tracked. _Leah sneered, Jacob felt that she picked up her speed and shook her head. Jacob thought about arguing with her for a second, but stopped himself. He didn't want to talk to her and make her talk any more than possible.

The Cullens had kept a far distance from the werewolves, actually. So far that when they weren't home - which was more time than one would have thought - the other wolves could come in and visit Rayn. Seth, of course, always tried to come at those inconvenient times when he _would _catch the leeches on their way out.

As for Bella...well, she hadn't been speaking much. It seemed she wanted to be a mute too. Jacob never actually tried to start a physical conversation, but every time they were near each other her cold shoulder was always turned to him...literally. She had tried to start a conversation once about how Embry was holding up. Jacob tried to tell her about the incident in the woods but ended up getting her to walk away from him mid sentence. Apparently, she didn't really care what happened to Rayn, anyway.

_I've been saying she hasn't been worth your time for _how long_? _Leah asked pointedly, Seth sent out angry vibes.

_Bella's protective of Jacob just like you're protective of Sam. Shut up Lee._ Leah was about to make a biting comment, but she stopped herself. Seth whined slightly anyway after feeling her anger and quickly mumbled out, _they aren't _all _bad..._

It was true, there was one vampire Jake had always had a soft spot towards and Rayn seemed very intrigued by him as well. She was always asking Dr. Fang questions that Jacob could never catch up with because their sign language was too fast and fluent. She seemed to think he was interesting...which upset Jacob a little more than he would have thought. He may have liked him, but that didn't mean she had to.

Rayn had not met the others, even though Edward had told Jacob multiple times that Alice was dying to talk with her. Alice talked to him a couple times as well, trying to slyly convince him to let her into the room. But the only vampire he ever let in was Carlisle. The rest stayed looking through the door, and they were only allowed to _stay _if she was asleep.

Jacob could smell her musky vanilla scent as he drew closer towards the river. He peaked his head through the brush to gaze and see what she was doing. Rayn had her legs crossed in front of her as she leaned back on her hands while she sat on a large fleece blanket that Jacob had given her since the grass was wet with the nights rain. She had her back toward him and was rolling her head on her neck, stretching her muscles. She was wearing a big baby blue sweater which went down to her waist and more of her tight shorts, this time in white. She had kicked off her white sneakers and was tapping her white socked toes on the blanket.

_She's waiting for you, you know. _Seth thought, knocking Jacob out of his reverie. Jacob sent an irritated wave towards Seth which clearly said, 'stay quiet starting now'.

Jacob walked out of the bushes. His paws seemed almost too soft against the wet grass, his breath was coming out in a wheeze from his snout, his heart was pounding against his giant ribs. He suddenly _felt _how warm he was, how thick his fur was as he felt the need to sweat out all of his excitement. It was similar to the feeling of embarrassment, when your face gets so warm, but it was out of happiness.

It wasn't until he was about six feet behind her that she turned to look at him. Her aqua eyes were watery and her smile was that smile he had only seen once. That smile that was the perfect size for her face. Jacob found himself going up and sitting beside her. He was almost double her size when he sat back on his haunches and while she looked at him, he looked directly in front of him wondering what she had been watching.

She had been mesmerized by the clear blue water of the river. It was so calm that he could see the fish swimming in circles and small currents running over the rocks. She let out a breath of air before she went back to watching it as well, Jacob sat there, watching her out of her peripheral for a couple moments.

_Greeeaaat. Water. What a fun date! Are you going to bring her a fish instead of flowers? _Leah's cynical voice broke his concentration. Jacob tried not to roll his eyes in case Rayn saw it.

_That might work. _Seth's voice rang. _Really, I mean it! I mean, you want her to catch on your human...do something human. _

_No! Jacob Ephraim Black if you do _anything _that stupid to let her know that way, I swear on my soul that you will die a horribly painful death at my hands! _Leah growled. Jacob's hair lightly bristled in aggrivation.

_Guys, stop it! _Seth sighed in exasperation.

_Yeah, you can try that. Self defence flies all the time, Leah. _Jacob growled back, ignoring Seth's frustration. Jacob shook his head and laid down behind Rayn, curling up and putting his jaw against his paws. He let out a sigh of his own exasperation and looked up at Rayn's profile.

She had closed her eyes, her head was lulling back with her hair cascading down, tickling Jacob's knee. She let out her own deep breath before she folded down her elbows and lowered herself down onto Jacob. Jacob's head shot up in surprise as he watched her snuggle her head into his stomach, her black hair sprawling against his russet fur in long tangles. Her aqua eyes were closed, a look of serene comfort smoothed her features.

_Is my cousin _flirting _with a wild _animal_? Jesus, I _told _you she was a freak!_

_Shut the fuck up! _Jacob mentally screamed, trying to hit her across the face with the force of it. Leah's thoughts noticeably softened.

Jacob shuffled slightly, jostling Rayn enough that she opened her eyes in question as he twisted enough to make his head rest on her own stomach. She silently chuckled, her diaphragm tickling his jaw. Jacob let out another sigh, breathing in the smell of vanilla, cinnamon, and green apple. They stayed there for a while, Jacob relishing the warmth her body emitted, the feeling of her stomach underneath her shirt, the feeling of her giggling...

Jacob opened his own eyes to see that hers were still gently closed. Her hand was now on her chest, patting really quickly. She opened one eye and looked at him, keeping the fast pattern.

_Is that sign language? _Jacob asked Seth, keeping his thoughts pointedly toward him. Jacob could feel Seth trying to hold back laughter.

_She's saying that your heart is racing, Jake. _

That warm feeling suddenly turned to the warm feeling of embarrassment. She closed her eyes again, putting her hand down before she smiled even wider. Humming along as she tapped her foot to t-

_Humming? _

The voices in his head stopped. Everything stopped. His lungs stopped filling with air, his heart stopped beating, the world felt like it had stopped turning as he, Seth, and Leah tried to create the best silence possible to hear her hum.

It was quiet, her hum was fading in and out, probably because it was so rarely used. It was a low hum, Jacob didn't really hear girls sing often, but he thought that she was singing fairly low in comparison. Her fingers were numbly feeling through his fur as she hummed, her toes tapped the rhythm. A wave of grief flooded through Jacob and he realized that it was coming from both Seth and Leah. The thoughts that filled his head were unrecognizable from which Clearwater it was from.

_But she hasn't spoken in years..._

_She's that comfortable in front of Jacob but no one else?_

_She has to know it's Jacob to have that type of connection._

_What is she humming?_

_Why doesn't she hum for us?_

_Why would she hum this?_

_What can she be thinking to be that happy near a giant wolf after what happened?_

_That was Leo's favourite song._

Jacob told them to calm down, while trying to do the same for himself. He understood their confusion and possible jealousy over why she would be that comfortable with him...especially in wolf form, but there was something else he wanted to figure out. She was smiling, that was for sure. But she was humming her dead brothers favourite song?

_Yeah. _Seth's voice rang with remorse. _It's the Offspring. Pretty Fly For a White Guy...it's a really stupid song when you hear the words, but he used to make a total fool out of himself and dance with her to it. _

Jacob focused on her as she opened her eyes, looking to the clouded sky over top of them. She turned her head towards Jacob's own, her brow furrowed as she looked into his dark eyes. Not into...through. Through him. She searched him briefly.

"Wolves are my spirit animal."

Jacob's whole body twitched, the words coming from her mouth made his body shiver out of nervousness to what was said, or from the very sound of her voice he wasn't sure. Seth and Leah's heads were spinning from the realization and sound. Her voice was husky with age and lack of use. Her voice was surprisingly alto in comparison to her demeanour which made Jacob always dream about a higher, shyer voice. Her voice was layered with years and years of sorrow. Yet, she did not actually sound sad.

_She knows! _Jacob thought immediately.

_Keep her talking! If she keeps going, maybe she'll start talking all the time! _Seth said with excitement, old memories danced through his head.

_What the hell is she going on about anyway? _Leah asked with a grumble.

"I really liked them too," her voice cut out as she cleared her throat. It was clearly a hassle and not something that could be simply dusted off. "I haven't been able to look at one since...since Leo..." her voice faded out. It ended in a strange croak while she took a deep breath. Jacob was mesmerized. Even as Seth and Leah were shouting instructions to get her to keep talking as they ran closer to where the two were in the woods, wanting to hear her voice for themselves.

"Then I saw you." Her voice cracked as her watery eyes went back to Jacob's own, they looked even lighter now that her eyes were bloodshot with sadness. She twisted her hands nervously, her voice suddenly began to be coated in it. "And I just...it's as if you were - I'm not stupid. I know that they shouldn't exist but after..." Her eyes slightly narrowed. "I know your eyes."

Jacob felt himself whimper more than he heard it.

"I wasn't sure at first, even when I was in the house but I know I've seen them. I see them watching me all the time, but..." she shook her head. Looking nearly pained as she lightly pulled on his fur. "Not like that." She sighed lightly when Jacob merely whimpered again. He could smell Leah and Seth close by, could hear their thoughts echoing what he was seeing from different angles. They were here.

"It's funny," she whispered, a tear leaking from her eye even as she refused to look at her. "I came here cause no one loved me...and now," she laughed slightly as her lip trembled. "I know what you are. I don't know how, I don't want to know how...why you're different...but, but I want you to just tell me. I want you to trust me as much as I have just trusted you." She turned her gaze back to him, her head falling back so her wet cheek touched his fur, the tears chilling his skin when they ran between the hairs. "I mean, I spoke didn't I? I spoke up and told you. You can do the same, right?"

She jumped up, shaking out her clothes and all the jumbled thoughts in her head before she looked back at him. She leaned down so that she was very close to him, looking him straight in the eyes. She was shy, it was obvious as she bit her bottom lip which was lightly quivering. Her eyes held pain and something she clearly wanted to admit. She wanted to say something that she was holding back, for what reason Jacob couldn't know. She took a deep breath which Jacob had to mimic himself.

"I'll be at the Cullen's whenever you want to talk." She leaned forward and lightly kissed his snout by his whiskers. "Don't forget the blanket."

With that she brought her shoulders threatening close to her cheeks and withdrew into her body as she ran, quickly, away from him and sprinted through the forest. He listened for a long moment before he heard the leaves quiver to see his two wolf companions.

_She totally knows it's you. _Seth seemed stunned. _Maybe it's because she reads so much, she reads werewolf books or something and just..._he trailed off. He didn't know the answer any more than Jacob did.

_Well, go get her you lummox. _Leah hissed. Jake nodded as he stood up on his four legs, stretching them out briefly. He took the damp blanket in his teeth to tear it off of the ground and sling it over his back before he looked back at them.

_What if she hates me for it? _He asked lamely, a feeling of worry weighing down his stomach as it started to spread through his torso and towards his heart. Seth's eyes rolled.

_Hey dummy, she already said she didn't understand but liked wolves. You've got it made. It's a done deal. _Leah had a moment of shock from Seth's words.

_I can't believe I'm saying this...but he's right._

_That happens you know. _Seth smugly smiled.

_Yeah, not often. _Leah mumbled, starting to walk back to do her rounds. Seth was soon to follow. Jacob tried to steady his breathing as he began to walk. He turned into the direction of the her smell, setting off towards it and grabbing his clothes on the way.

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**So she knows...but I'll give you a hint: this chapter just gave away the big plot twist I have lined up for you guys! Again, I'm sorry that it's been so long for me to update, it won't be that long for the next one I promise! I hope you enjoyed it, please, **_**please**_**, **_**PLEASE **_**review!!!!!!!!**

**--Egypt**


	12. Wolves

**So, I told you that I wouldn't make you wait that long again, and I KNOW you guys are going to enjoy this chapter! I won't deny I was really depressed that only three people reviewed, so this chapter is dedicated to **_Livingmasquerade_**, **_paris tokyo_**, and **_Alec _**for their dedication. **

**Please, please, please remember to review, even if it's just a simple sentence!**

**Stephenie Meyer owns everything that I don't. Which is a lot, since I'm just a kid. Enough said...enjoy the chapter!**

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Shaking knees. A humble trembling as his stomach seemed to implode on itself further and further with each step. His clothes felt too cold for his hot body, he felt too warm in comparison to normal because of his flushed cheeks. He couldn't seem to pry his eyes from the ground as he carried the cold blanket under his arm.

As he went up the stairs of the house he could smell Carlisle but could hear absolutely nothing past the blood pounding in his ears. He hesitated outside of the door, taking a couple of deep breaths, trying to steady his heart rate. He wiped off some sweat from his hairline and tightened his grip on the blanket as he knocked briefly on the door. He did not wait for an answer.

Rayn was sitting up in the bed, her mix-matched sock feet twisted as the doctor signed to her. He must have stopped as Jacob knocked because they were both still turning their heads when he got first glimpse of them. Rayn stopped immediately, all her attention drawn on him but he had to look in the direction of her eyes to know what she was staring, wide eyed, and with held breath. The blanket.

It took her a moment before she gasped and looked down, shaking her head slightly before she looked up to Carlisle. She signed quickly, clumsily; her cheeks growing more and more read with each movement. Jacob made out his own name being spelt out and her hand closing in the way that meant 'leave'. Carlisle turned to Jacob, a small smile on his face.

"Well Jacob, it seems that Ms. Talon here is ready to leave. She wanted to know if she could leave with you or if you should wait for Embry?"

Jacob tried to make his head less cloudy and his voice stable so he could reply. It was a simple, "yeah, we can go." He looked to Rayn, his eyes catching hers briefly before she looked down with blood red cheeks. "Do you want me to pack your things?"

A simple nod was all it took. Carlisle only looked behind him briefly, knowing the answer. He nodded toward Rayn and quickly signed something that Jacob caught 'family' from before he walked out the door. He placed a cold hand on Jacob's shoulder for a moment before he left.

Jacob kept his head turned to where Carlisle had left before he took a deep breath and looked to Rayn. Her eyes caught his immediately, her whole body had turned towards him in the three seconds it had been since Carlisle had left. She was totally alert as she looked from him to the blanket, but he couldn't uproot his feet from the floor to walk closer.

She took a shaky breath as she quickly signed 'say something'. Jacob looked at her for a long moment, trying to judge her reaction. Would she start talking again? Would she stay quiet? Would she be mad that he kept it a secret? Should he tell her about imprinting...what would she say if he did?

"We're not bad. We protect the tribe." He blurted out. "We don't kill people or hurt people...we're good people...we're..." he stopped when Rayn started shaking her head, taking in a deep breath as she reached for her notepad, scribbling quickly. Quickly, even for her.

_What __are__ you?_

He pushed his lips together and swallowed to push down the lump that had formed in front of his vocal chords.

"We're werewolves."

"You _can't_ be werewolves." Her voice was husky and it took him by surprise. Her face was totally contorted in disbelief. "I thought you were spirit warriors."

"We are." He said. "Actually, I heard once that we're really shape shifters who just _happen _to turn into wolves. We-"

"Who consists of _we_?" Jacob nodded slowly, worried this question would arise.

"We: Sam, Quil, Seth, Leah, Paul, Jared, me...Embry." She let in a sharp intake of breath and put her hand down on the bed to stable herself. She took a moment to take a couple of overly large breaths but whispered to herself in between.

Jacob watched her face contort through all the emotions. There was disbelief, concern, fear, incomprehension, acceptance, complication, and some form of sadness which lined her features. She looked back up to him with slightly red eyes.

"Why you guys?"

"Uh...it's a blood thing." Jacob answered in a bit of shock. Those were not the words he had expected. "It all depends on who your family was. The three original werewolves we-"

"Don't call yourself that." Her voice sounded choked. Jacob felt his chest tightened. So, Rayn didn't like what he was. Of course she wouldn't.

"The three original warriors," he corrected, "gave birth to children. Who gave birth to more children. Whoever has their blood has the chance to be one. It's all about how Quileute you are." Her eyes widened.

"What about me? I'm pure Quileute."

The question stopped Jacob's train of worry and started it on a new track. What _would _happen? She was now near all the vampires, she was pure Quileute on both sides. Clearwater and Call.

"Uh...no, you should be safe. The pack is already really big considering the coven hasn't ch-"

"Coven? As in of _witches_?" She asked pointedly, her eyes wide. Jacob couldn't help but chuckle, noticing how childish and innocent she appeared.

"No. Coven as in of..._vampires._" Her swallow was audible.

"Vampires...are real, too?" She asked with a shiver.

"That's why we're w-the way we are." Jacob said carefully, making each word very deliberate. "Remember the 'cold ones'? Well, that's why we turned into _wolves _and when they came back...when a _lot _of them came back, there had to be a lot of _us _to fight them off."

Jacob waited for her to say something, waited for some sort of reaction. All he could hear was a disturbing rasping from her lungs as she tried to keep down her hyperventilating. Her eyes were closed tightly in concentration and her cheeks were the colour of blood. She looked like she may be trembling.

"Are you scared?" Jacob whispered quietly, hoping she just wouldn't answer. She dared look at him, her eyes looking shockingly blue for the first time.

"A little." She took a breath. "But not of you."

"Only of what I am?" He asked sceptically. She shook her head.

"No. Just what it means."

"And what does it _mean_?" Jacob asked darkly, clenching the blanket so tightly he could feel his fingers touching through the thick fabric. He felt like all his organs were going to be vomited up.

"I don't know." She whispered. "But I have a bad feeling."

Jacob heard a shuffle from outside of the door. He looked briefly behind him to hear a twinkling voice...too high to be Bella's. So, it was obviously Alice again. Jacob wondered if she knew what this bad feeling was.

"Is..." Rayn's voice made Jacob look back in her direction. She was looking down again, her cheeks again were red. "Is there a reason that..." She sighed, her breath loudly escaping in frustration. "That I feel like this?"

"Like what?" Jacob knew what she was referring to. The tightness she felt every time he was near, the panic she felt when she found out he wasn't there. The overwhelming warmth which flooded her every time they were close. The shivers she would get from the sound of his voice. The magnetism she felt to touch him. He knew this, because it was exactly what he felt.

"The...uh," she laughed slightly. "Dependency." Jacob cleared his throat and put down the blanket, suddenly feeling antsy. He nodded briefly.

"Yeah." How was he supposed to explain this? Even in his fantasies he had not imagined telling her about imprinting. He had either imagined she already knew what it meant, or that she had run away scared. He had never thought about how to word it, how to explain it, how to make it so she wouldn't run away, which it seemed like she may want to do. "Why don't we talk about it on the way back?"

"Yeah." She nodded. "I want to say goodbye. I've barley seen Edward and Bella...apparently there are _five _other people living here. I haven't even _seen _them." She laughed nervously, standing quickly. She grabbed her bag, throwing clothes in a clutter.

The door behind him opened. When Jacob looked, he saw that the whole family was there, the first through the door was Carlisle. Edward had probably put him first so that Jacob didn't just turn into a wolf and attack whomever the unfortunate leech was.

Edward, second through the door, smirked a little at the thought.

"We just wanted to say goodbye." Bella said quietly, third through the door. "I know I haven't been here much..." She seemed like she was talking from a script. "But Jacob is my best friend, and I should really have gotten to know you better while you were here. Sorry."

Rayn spelt out the letters 'O' and 'K' before quickly flowing through an apology about barging into their house. Before she was done, he saw her ask the word 'who' by holding her chin and fluttering her index finger.

"I'm Alice!" Alice said quickly, it looked like she had been holding it in for a long time. "I've been _dying _to meet you. This is my boyfriend Jasper, he's really quiet too. Oh, and this is Rosalie and her boyfriend Emmett. Jacob and Embry have told us _such _great things about you."

Rayn was smiling and quickly signing her 'thank you' in response. Alice could not, however, seem to contain her question.

"When's your birthday?" Alice asked quickly. There was a moment where it was very clear that Rayn was confused before she slowly signed back. It took a moment for Jacob to think: he had never known when her birthday was...he had never thought to ask. But something told him by the way Alice had asked that it would be soon.

"July 9th is _not _far away! That's barely _any _time to plan for a party." Alice scolded. Rayn did a flurry of signs again, spelling out 'Roma', the name that Jacob remembered Embry telling him. "Oh, she's coming is she? I didn't know..." Emmett snickered. "Maybe we should plan together. You seem like such a sweet girl."

Rayn just signed her thanks and a couple excuses so that she could leave. She did it a lot more kindly than Jacob would have liked, but either way it got the job done enough that they were out the door in under three minutes. Jacob, of course, did not have his car. So, they started on foot. She didn't really complain.

Rayn looked at him with wide, expectant eyes. Right. Imprinting.

"It's kind of difficult to explain, that feeling..." Jacob scratched his head nervously. "I mean, it might freak you out or something." She smiled lightly.

"The wolf thing wouldn't?" Jacob smiled.

"Yeah, I know. The wolf thing was bad...this is just, weird."

"Weird. I'm good with weird." She whispered.

"Okay. When wer-_we _turn into a wolf for a first time, something changes in us. It makes something happen, called 'imprinting'. It's supposed to be really rare, like only one or two of us were supposed to have it, but...it seems to be happening to almost everyone."

"So what _I'm _feeling is from _you_...printing?" Rayn asked with a confused expression. Jacob shook his head, this was easy to say...but not easy for her to take. He'd have to calm it down a bit.

"_Im_printing. Yeah. You feel what I feel...it's like when the whole world starts revolving around the other person." Jacob said slowly.

"Wait...how do you know how I feel about this?"

His chest tightened with the thought. What a good question. What if she didn't feel like Emily, or Kim, or Rachel?

"Well...I mean, I just think that...maybe you would feel how I feel."

"And how do _you _feel?"

Jacob felt confused himself. How did he explain this without her running away? He decided on the words that had already been said by someone else.

"I was told that imprinting is like Love at first sight. It's when you just know that the person you have just seen is the person you are sworn to be with, through everything. In anyway you can. For as long as you can." He took a deep breath. And realized how forward that sounded before he quickly added, "so you can protect them."

"So you're here to protect me? That's why we feel this?" She seemed a little hurt from the fact. She looked at Jacob with her large, aqua eyes. "Do you know _why_ you have to protect me?"

"No...I mean, no, I don't know _what _I'm supposed to protect you from. And...I don't know. Not all imprinting is the same. I mean, Quil imprinted on a toddler...it's not like it _has _to be love like it is with Sam and Emily or Paul and Rachel..."

"So...you've imprinted on me?" She asked, choking through the hoarseness in her throat. Jacob merely nodded. "What does that mean...in _our _case? You said that it doesn't always _have _to be love...so, what's it for us?"

"That decision always rests with you. I - as your protector - am supposed to be everything and anything you want me to be. No matter what it is." Jacob answered with a full chest. It was like when he would drink too much water and his stomach would slosh...that's what his chest felt like. Too much emotion.

"I assume 'not a werewolf' isn't an option." She whispered, more to herself than to him, but Jacob couldn't help but answer.

"Actually, it sort of is." Rayn's eyes snapped back from her feet to his own eyes. They were wide with disbelief.

"You can just...turn it off? Like a light switch?" He nodded his response. "But..." She shook her head. "I don't want you _not _to be what you are..." She sighed. "I don't ever want to be someone who changes someone else."

Jacob wanted to tell her that she _had _changed so much about him already, but decided that may not be in his current best interest. While Jacob noticed they weren't far from Embry's house now, Rayn looked back to the ground with a blush already creeping into her cheeks. Jacob knew what she may ask next. The question that would destroy him if her answer was different from his own.

"So...do you want to protect me like Quil protects the toddler, or like Sam protects Emily?" She worded the question rather well. Jacob took a deep breath.

"Does it really matter?" She smiled slightly looking back up to him as she bit her lip.

"Did you just give me an answer?" She asked quietly, trying very hard to keep her eyes focused on his own.

"I think I might've." He answered just as quietly.

"...was it a 'yes' or a 'no' answer?" She asked even more quietly, her cheeks even more red. Jacob smiled, trying not to be blinded by just how innocent and cute she currently looked.

"I don't want to protect you in the way that Quil protects Claire. I don't want to just protect you from falling and scraping your knee, or from pushing a fork into an outlet. I want to protect you from something even worse."

"Worse than scraping my knee?" She asked in a blank expression, but was clearly trying to be comical. It was enough to make Jake smile. "What could be worse?"

"Heartbreak." He said quietly. Because he knew, from experience, that heartbreak was the worst pain anyone could go through. The worst ordeal anyone would have to face day by day. It made you feel like others hated you for how you felt, while at the same time it made you hate yourself for feeling how you did. It made you never want to get out of bed and it made you cry yourself out so that you could fit all your emotions onto the bed with you.

"You-" she smiled slightly before looking, again, disbelieved. "You could protect me from that?"

"Yeah, I think I could." He stopped, weighing his next words heavily before he finally decided to say them. "And with just a couple words, you could protect _me _from it, too."

Rayn smiled that knowing smile, the smile that was not too big for her face, but was (in it's largeness) perfectly suited to her features. Jacob could not help but smile back, hoping that the smile was of good measure. She opened her mouth to say something before she was, loudly interrupted.

"We were just coming to get you!" Jacob turned toward the unfamiliar voice with irritation lining his features before he saw the girl. She had dark blonde hair worn in a thick braid and pale freckled skin adorned with glowing green eyes. She was tall, about as tall as Leah, and wearing a strange hippy esc outfit. She ran towards Rayn with her arms outstretched.

Rayn let out a huge lung full of air as the hug finally reached her, she wrapped her arms around the girl as well. They shared the hug for a moment before the tall girl held Rayn at arms length and examined her.

"Oh, that boy! I'll kill 'im!" She muttered, taking a look over Rayn. "And look at how they're dressing you! Like a boy. I know you hate skin, but honestly, must you have _none _of it?" She looked at Rayn's bright eyes. "When I saw Embry without you and asked where you were and he said you were _walking _back from _Forks, _I almost murdered him right there. You're _so _lucky I'm such a thoughtful best friend who realized that he was your favourite cousin or - "

"Or, you're really lucky that she had me to pull her off of him." Another voice piped in. Jacob looked to see a tall boy, about six foot two, standing with his hands in his jean pockets. He wore a Billy Talent band t-shirt which did nothing to hide the hundreds of freckles that lined his arm and went straight up his body all the way to his pale face. His eyes were also strangely green and his brown hair was darker than the girls, but not by much. It was a moment before Jacob realized the image had changed to Rayn hugging him as he twirled her around.

It hit a chord. A very _sour _chord from somewhere deep inside of Jacob.

"I'm Roma, this is my brother Remy." The tall girl told, looking straight into Jacob's eyes. "We're here to make sure nothing _stupid _happens to our friend again."

"Don't worry, I'm trying to do the same." Roma's eyes narrowed as she seemed to evaluate Jacob in her mind's eye. Embry had been right, that day that he had first heard Rayn's voice during her screaming fit: Roma was certainly _something. _She was just as enthusiastic as Alice and just as outspoken.

"Do you _like _my friend?" She asked immediately. Jacob took into account that Embry had also said 'she didn't have to be able to tell the future to butt into other people's business'.

"Do you _like _being obnoxious?" Jacob asked in rebuttal. She narrowed her eyes for a second and smirked before she looked back to Rayn shouting loudly, "I approve!"

She skipped back over to Rayn while Embry slowly skulked his way over to Jacob. His eyes narrowed on the three.

"I'd watch out, if I were you." Embry whispered. "Rayn and Remy have had a lot of chemistry for a _really _long time. It's almost like the flame never dies so they keep trying to light the candle, but it blows out before they realize the match isn't done burning."

Jacob sighed, not happy with the news. That was not the type of thing he wanted to hear. He looked back at Embry with a stern look in his eye.

"Rayn knows." Embry looked at him slowly, his eyes wide with question.

"Knows _what?_" Embry asked with emphasis. Jacob crossed his arms moodily looking away from the trio.

"Everything. Now she just has to choose what she wants."

"You or him, you mean." Embry raised his eyebrows in question. Jacob looked back to the group, knowing Embry had done the same. He looked to see that Rayn was looking at him, quickly looking away before she signed to her friends, who, he noticed for the first time were signing back.

"I've heard she _talked _in front of you. To you." Jacob nodded. "I don't think you have much competition, then. She barely ever talks in front of Remy and Roma." Embry smiled looking at his cousin. "Gotta love the imprinting thing. It always makes you first choice."

Jacob sighed, thinking about Sam, Leah, and Emily before looking back to Embry.

"She said that she was scared of me. Well no, she said she wasn't scared of me, but that she was _scared._"

Embry chuckled. "Can you blame her?"

"Not really." Jacob shrugged. "Man, I just want her to-" He stopped, not wanting to explain any further. Embry patted him on the back.

"I know man, let's go before they get suspicious." As the two walked over to the trio, they noticed that the movement stopped so that Remy and Roma could look at them, Remy rested his arm mockingly against Rayn's shoulder, but his eyes were narrowed on Jacob. Roma was looking with the same narrow-eyed expression, but was more calculating.

"Rayn," Roma asked loudly, not even looking at her for a moment. "Who is _he?_" She asked, pointing straight to Jacob. She looked back to Rayn as she signed her response, spelling out his name.

"So _you're _Jacob Black." Remy said slowly, once she was finished. His glare was vicious in the least.

"Yeah. That's me." Jacob said, narrowing his eyes toward Remy firmly.

"What's going on between you two? You know about Remy's protective cling..." Jake was close enough to hear Roma whisper to Rayn, who was suddenly right beside her. Rayn looked at Jacob, his attention immediately drawn to her stormy, tropical eyes before she shrugged her shoulders.

She signed, a quick 'I don't know' before walking toward him.

"We'll talk." She whispered, loud enough to make Embry gasp, Roma smile and Remy's fists to clench. Rayn slipped her hand in Jacob's and slowly started walking hand-in-hand to the house, the others eagerly following in toe.

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**So, how did you like that chapter? I'll give you a hint: she likes him. I'll give you another hint: I'm not nice enough to make it THAT easy. So, I have finally introduced the twins and you had better believe that they are going to stir up some drama! **

**I won't deny I'm pretty proud with how it turned out. Any Jacob fanfic's I've ever read all the girls just accept that Jacob is a werewolf and pretend like it's something in everyday life. I'm glad that I kind of made it a bit different, even if it's a little more complicated than you guys think... (Hint).**

**Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it...**PLEASE REVIEW**! **

**--Egypt**


	13. Tender

**Wow! I got a fair number of reviews this time, which was REALLY encouraging! Thank you, guys! Special thanks to **VampireNick009**, **Living Masquerade**, **0_0**, **zigzagger**, **stacemajace**. I'm glad you enjoyed the last chapter and I hope that you enjoy this one just as much, it is Dedicated to you.**

**You know that I'm not Stephanie Meyer, but hopefully she wouldn't be too ashamed to what I'm doing to one of the best characters she owns...**

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Embry's decaying house suddenly seemed to have withered with all the people crowded in the living room. Embry perched himself in the doorframe, leaning his shoulder against it as he watched what would be unfolding in front of him. Rayn ended up sitting Jacob down on the table, sitting herself beside him. Jacob noted that she did not let go of his hand, but she did keep her leg far away from his own. Well, far enough.

Roma and Remy sat across from them, staring straight into their eyes. Remy sat himself across from Jacob, his green eyes glaring through his own dark eyes to try and see something Jacob would never end up telling him. Not that he knew what Remy wanted to know, of course. But the way Remy was looking at him and the way he had looked at Rayn immediately set up red flags. He noticed that Remy had sunk himself into the couch as if it were his own, his back hunched and arms crossed against his chest. Roma sat across from Rayn, watching her lightly. She sat much more proper. Her right leg was crossed over her left, her hands were folded aristocratically over lap and her back was rod straight.

"So, you and this Black character are together?" Remy broke the silence, finally looking to Rayn, his eyes softening a noticeable degree as they turned.

Jacob saw Rayn to towards him in his peripheral. He turned slightly to meet her gaze. It was questioning, her large tropical eyes held confusion and fear, not of them, but of him. Of what he would say if she answered incorrectly. Her eyes searched his own, the clash of light and darkness made Jacob's stomach twist. He squeezed her hand making the traces of a smile touch her lips.

She looked to Remy and nodded solemnly.

"Why didn't I hear about it?" Roma seethed, her eyes slightly narrowing. "Why have I heard _nothing _from you? Then I get a call from Em saying that you almost _died_. What is going on with you?" Jacob felt Rayn stiffen as she took in a deep breath, it lifted her shoulders and threw her head back. The phone started to ring and Embry disappeared to answer it.

"We have things to tell you, Rayn." Remy took over, looking at his sister in a sideways glance which hid a lot of information before he looked back at her. "Important things." He added.

"But we brought your medicine - it's in the car, sorry - and we came to talk to you. Take care of you since _some _people obviously cannot..." She sent a pointed glare towards Embry who had reappeared in the doorway, rolling his eyes dramatically and muttering something about her still being alive.

"Not that I don't _love _listening to you complain about my inferior babysitting skills," Embry growled. "There's someone on the phone for Jake." At Jake's glance he sighed. "You're not going to like it."

"Who is it? Tell them to call back later."

"It's Alice. She wants to talk to either you or Rayn, I told her that I'd have to bring you because we had company." Jacob almost barked out a laugh before he looked to Rayn.

"I'll be right back." He got up and walked past Embry giving him an 'I hate life' glance before heading to the phone which had been left on the counter. He picked it up.

"Alice, what do you want?" Jacob put as much venom into his voice as he could when he asked her.

"_Listen Jacob, I know you hate us Cullen's, but I need you to trust me. I had a vision._"

"You? Since when're you ever done something that obnoxious?" He asked sarcastically. He heard her huff on the other end.

"_If you don't talk to me then I'll just follow the second vision and ask for someone else to put on the phone._"

"Rayn's busy. She has company."

"_I know. I want to talk to Roma._" Jacob felt the hair on his arms rise in alert. He sighed.

"Fine, you have my attention. What do you want?" He gave in, rubbing the bridge of his nose and closing his eyes to ward off what headache she may soon cause.

"_You want to know what that smell is? I know a way to find out._"

Jacob took a moment to breathe. "How do you know about the smell?" He asked suspiciously.

"_It's been around Forks, too._" She admitted. "_We've been out hunting as well, Edward has been trying to read for thoughts but everything is very blurry for him. It seems to like to go from our side to your side and back again. I've had a vision with when we can attract who or whatever it is so that we can trap 'em and question 'em...but it has to be on a particular day._"

"What day? How could we trap it?" Jacob asked, he felt himself getting excited. To know what held the smell which drowned out all other smells. To know what was the cause of all the drama. What had been going near the Clearwater and Quil's houses.

"_It has to be on July 9th._" Jacob felt himself freeze.

"That's Rayn's birthday." He heard himself choke.

"_I know. First I was having visions that Roma was going to throw Rayn a party for her birthday, then this morning I started having visions that the party would draw out the cause of the smell. But I can't see what it is...it's like someone pauses a movie or something. But I know I'm right. I know what I _do _see is right._"

"No." Jacob said immediately. "Not an option. No."

"_Jacob, she will be completely safe if we can just be level headed and _think _this through. If you get your whole pack there and all eight of us there would be no possible way that she could get hurt!_"

"So you admit it." Jacob hissed, carefully watching the volume of his voice as he looked over his shoulder to see Embry completely stiff. He was listening to the conversation. "You've thought...you've _seen _that she won't be safe!"

"_Listen, right now none of your pack is safe. Don't you notice that the smell is all around where you guys have been? We have. We've smelt...or not smelt it following you. Following Embry and Seth and Leah and Sam...any of you. All of you. She's less safe _now _then she would be then._"

"I'm not putting her in danger." He said referring to her birthday. "And as for her being in danger now: it's not true. I will never let anything happen to her. _Anything._ I don't need you leeches to keep her safe, I don't plan on leaving her side any time soon."

"_Jaco-_" He hung up.

Jacob took multiple deep breaths trying to calm the tremors rolling down his spine. He wanted to burst, to stay in wolf form with his heightened senses and stay glued to Rayn's side. His tremors wouldn't seem to stop. He felt a low growl growing in his throat that he tried to stop, with much difficulty. He hunched his shoulders trying to shake off his own shakes when he felt a small hand on his back. It immediately calmed him. He knew who it was.

When he turned, Rayn's eyes were wide with curiosity and worry. Her hand was cool through his shirt. He automatically put on a smile.

"Sorry," he whispered huskily. "What's going on in there?"

Rayn shrugged, looking briefly over her shoulder. She looked back at him and grinned a close-lipped smile.

"Did I say the right thing?" She whispered hoarsely, yet innocently. "In the living room...to Roma?" She had reverted to speaking and doing the sign language at the same time. It would help Jacob learn faster that way, if she was doing it on purpose he wasn't sure.

"Yeah," Jacob smiled, his tremors long forgotten. "Definitely the right thing to say." She blushed brightly. "How much do they hate me for it?" She smiled and shook her head.

"A bit." She giggled. "Tomorrow Remy and Roma have asked that I spend half a day with each of them...first half with Roma, second part with Remy-" Jacob felt his insides seethe. Sounded like a date, to him... "So I won't be able to see you tomorrow...which, for me is..."

Rayn stopped. She was going more and more red, Jacob couldn't help but grin. Good. She had said she had felt dependant...that was good. Because Jacob felt something much more than dependant or clingy at this point. She continued.

"For me it feels like a bad thing. So, I was wondering if..." she shook her head, muttering something about sounding stupid. Then, she continued her signing while her voice spoke nothing. The only movement from her face was the rush of blood to her cheeks and the biting of her lip.

"I didn't catch that." He admitted, almost embarrassed himself. He should get back to reading that sign reading book...She took a shaky breath, her eyebrows doing a strange dance before she finally looked to him.

"If you'd stay with me tonight? You don't have to and you can take the bed and I'll take the floor and you don't even have to be human if you want or you don't ha-"

"I'd like that." He smiled, cutting her off. She took in a deep breath, looking at him with giant, luminous, aqua eyes. "I'd like that a lot."

She nodded, trying to process the information. She pointed lamely behind her, stumbling over herself to go back into the living room. Jacob smiled to himself, nodding his head in happiness before he took a deep breath and walked back into the room like Rayn, pretending she _hadn't _just invited him to be alone with her after she knew what she knew. As if she _needed _him there as badly as he needed to be there. As if she hadn't just admitted she loved him...He shook his head.

Not the way it works Jacob, he told himself. Not the way it works.

***

Hours later, Jacob was in a bit of a situation.

What first seemed like an innocent question to spend the night now seemed to be full of potholes. Was she expecting him to be a boy, or a wolf? Was she expecting him to stay for an hour, or for the night? Was she expecting him to be able to control himself? Had she given this thought at all? Was she expecting _anything_?

Too late now, he told himself as he stood outside her window. He could hear Embry's Mom giving up her room, maintaining that her and Embry could rotate who got his room. He heard Embry saying goodnight as he took his room - his mother had another shift to go to at work - He saw Embry's shadow on the ground around the corner of the house. Him nodding to Roma and Remy as they exited towards the master bedroom, hugging Rayn and quickly moving his hands. Signing something Jacob could not tell through the contours.

It was only about 40 seconds before he saw Rayn open her bedroom door, the harsh yellow light from the hallway blinding him as he retreated back a bit. She turned and closed the door again, looking around the room...for him. His chest swelled, a relentless smile plagued his features in pride. He lightly rapped on the window.

Her face looked startled a moment before she came and opened the window, moving to sit on her small bed. She tried to straighten out the navy comforter from where she sat, he could practically feel her radiating waves of unease. He climbed through the window, his shoulders too large to fit through unless he turned on a strange diagonal. He felt like a slinky as he squirmed his way through the small opening and stood in front of her.

Her large eyes looked up at him her neck craning back at an awkward angle. To ease that he quickly sat down on his feet.

"Hi." He said simply. She snorted lightly.

"Hi...you don't have to sit," she whispered, reminding him that they were not in the house alone. He shrugged.

"It's probably better. Besides. When I sit like this, I'm _still _almost as tall as you sitting on the bed." She giggled lightly but stopped quickly. There was a long drawn out silence where neither of them knew what to say. "If you want me to be a wolf, I can easily-"

"No." She said quickly. But not urgently. Not like she was scared. "No, it's fine. I just wanted to talk some more about everything and get some things settled." She sighed.

"Ok, I can do that." Jacob whispered again, sitting himself on his butt. To his surprise Rayn joined him, her panama pants touching his own knee and she sat cross legged in front of him, she drug with her the hippopotamus and the wolf plushies he had seen the first night he had met her. "What more do you want to know?"

"Well first, I just want you to know..." She took a deep breath. "I've given some slack today because I wanted to know everything as fast as possible, but I don't like talking Jacob. I stopped for a reason... you won't be mad at me if I-you know, don't anymore, will you? I mean, I guess I could sometimes but I really just-"

"Whatever you give, I'll take." He said quickly, trying to hide his grin. She seemed to ramble a lot when she was nervous. She nodded quickly, trying to calm herself.

"Okay, you. Questions about you." She said, trying to dig into her mind to think of one. "Can you turn into a wolf...whenever you want?" She asked, her voice dropping.

"Whenever we want. Sometimes we turn accidentally, like when we get to mad." He smiled distantly at some old memories where he had turned from anger. If the other we-_wolves _didn't heal so quickly, Paul would have had horrible scars all over his body. Jared too.

"Does-does it hurt?" She asked even more quietly, Jacob could only barely see her from the light in the window mixed with the harsh hallway light creeping in from under the door. Her eyes were downcast...she was probably blushing, too.

"It did. Once you do it enough, you get used to it." Jacob admitted lightly, trying to make it sound less horrible than it had been. The first time he had turned, it had been terribly painful. He had been bed ridden for days, too sore to move.

"H-How often do you...you know, transform?" She asked shakily.

"I used to do it really often...I've found that something has prevented me from doing it lately though," he said with a grin. She took the bait.

"What?"

"You. I'd rather be in human form when I won't scare you half to death or when I can actually talk to you." She smiled.

"You can't turn _me _into one, can you?"

"Are you asking me to?" He asked sceptically. She shook her head. "Well, I couldn't even if I wanted to. It's passed through genes, remember?" She nodded.

"Just checking." She whispered. "This imprinting thing," she began slowly. "Will it go away?" A chill swept through him at the question.

"Do you want it to?" He asked huskily, his voice much lower then he intended it to be. She took a shaky breath.

"No." He let out a gasp of air he hadn't realized he'd been holding as her eyes caught his own. He felt like he was falling into her eyes, drowning in his emotion for her when she simply said, "I like this feeling."

"Good. Because it doesn't go away."

He couldn't stop himself as he drew closer to her, so slowly that his heart started convulsing in quick succession to try and make his body lurch towards her, but he wouldn't let the moment be ruined. As he drew closer to her, the smell of green apple overwhelmed him while their breath mingled with each other in the small space that remained.

To Jacob's surprise it was Rayn who closed the gap between them, as she lightly touched her lips against Jacob's own. Her lips moved slowly and were just as warm as his own. They felt plush and smooth under his, which he could only imagine felt more demanding as he tried to control himself to wait for what he wanted most. After a moment, she pulled away from him. Her breath was slightly erratic as she crawled away from him. She pulled herself onto the bed and he even heard a small 'thunk' from when her back hit the wall on the opposite side.

"Jacob," she whispered, her voice suddenly sounding much more raspy. "Jacob you wouldn't want to kiss me if-if you know what, what's happened and what-" Jacob found himself crawling, much more animalistic than her, onto the thin, single bed. He stopped in front of her looking at her with all the desire he could feel.

"I don't care. You don't understand, Rayn." Jacob said huskily, pushing her knees down from in front of her and leaning in a little closer.

"But-"

"Rayn, I want to kiss you. There is nothing you could say that would make me not want to kiss you. I-I feel like I need you. So just stop ta-"

"Jacob," She smiled lightly. "_I'm _the one who can be quiet, remember? And...I think I might need you t-" His lips smothered her words, much more aggressive than before. His body leaned so far forward that her head was pressed against the wall and his tongue flicked hungrily against her lips until she finally remembered how to open her jaw. Their tongues danced together in a strange type of swing which made them twist around each other in strange patterns.

Rayn's hands roamed through Jacob's hair, his hands were repeatedly clutching her thick sweater and trying to pull her closer to him, as if they could mould into one person before he'd let her go to try again. Jacob could feel the layer of sweat on her neck, possibly even more than he had on his own, so he instinctively groped for the zipper on her sweater and shoved it down. She did not object as she moved to allow him to take the sweater off.

Jacob hadn't touched her before he knew she was in a tank top. He could smell the cinnamon and vanilla intensify as he touched her hands. The warmth through his blood only pounded his way back in his heart as his pride to have her overwhelmed him. He felt his way up her arms, his hands touching her baby soft skin.

Her skin, soft and damp suddenly did not feel exactly like the baby soft skin it should. It took Jacob a moment to realize that both hands were not feeling the strange, plastic sensation. His left hand felt like he was caressing saran wrap, and before he knew what was happening, Rayn had stiffened and pulled away.

"I'm sorry," she gasped, trying to catch her breath. She had pulled away enough that Jacob could get a good look at her seeing her high ponytail of cascading curls, her stormy tropical eyes, and her sun-kissed skin underneath an orange tank top. It was not long before a memory jumped it's way to the forefront of Jacob's mind..._scarring. _

His eyes travelled to her arms, which had always been covered. His eyes widened as he looked towards the scarring which travelled from a quarter of the way from her shoulder down her right arm, and up across her chest, disappearing about two inches away from where her cleavage began. Jacob looked at it with a strange surge of emotions. Anger, sadness, worry, lack of control to help her from what had already been done...

"I'm so sorry," she choked again. "It's-it's from when Leo-"

"I know." Jacob whispered, finally tearing his eyes from the jagged scarring on her shoulder to the storm behind her aqua eyes. He immediately noticed, through the dark, that her eyes were glinting oddly in what little light was there. She was crying. "Oh, Rayn-"

"I didn't even _think _about warning you. I wanted to tell you before, sure but - I didn't think you'd -" Jacob found himself wrapping his arms around her as hot tears leaked onto his muscle shirt. He held her as she sobbed, quietly, into his shoulder holding his back as close to her as she could. He could feel her fingers digging into his skin through his shirt and felt as the warmth from his skin seeped into her own.

It was a few minutes before she calmed down enough to take her head from his shoulder. She looked at him with swollen eyelids, her eyes wide. All Jacob could think was how happy he was it was dark. How happy he was that he couldn't see how red her eyes were, the tear tracks which faded down her cheeks. She cleared her throat.

"I'd like to go to bed now." She whispered with a warped voice. Her eyes looking down in embarrassment. So, she was back to herself. Jacob nodded his head, shifting his weight and slipping his leg from under himself to the ground.

"Wait." She said urgently, clutching onto his hand. "Don't go." Jacob weighed the look in her eyes heavily, making sure this was truly what she wanted. Her eyes, large as he had ever seen them look fearful. Of him leaving?...Perhaps.

Jacob nodded, shifting his weight again as he automatically started to wonder how they would both fit on the single sized bed with him being so large. Either way, she lay down her back against the wall and waited for him to rest her head on the pillow. There was a long moment of silence as he felt her eyelashes fluttering against the sensitive skin of his upper arm, she was fighting for consciousness. She must have been comfortable as she was rested on his shoulder, her left hand resting against his chest. She was probably warmed by his skin and he knew that he was warmed by the fact she was touching him. Jacob had never felt this way with Bella, he realized softly. He smiled, he hadn't thought of her in a long time. He felt Rayn smile drowsily against his skin.

"I can feel your heartbeat." She whispered, half asleep, as she finally gave in. Jacob smiled even harder, Bella hadn't liked that she could feel his heartbeat.

"Goodnight Rayn," He whispered, kissing her lightly on the forehead. Rayn, in her last moment of consciousness curled in as close as she could to his body and let out a sigh of content which, if undistorted, he knew would have been his name.

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**Well, I hope that you enjoyed that fluff about 4000 words later. It was actually really difficult for me to write. Boy drama makes it hard to imagine romance, but I hope I wrote it well. I also felt a little flushed (my ears were burning) as I wrote the make-out scene. So please, **_**please**_** review! Thank you to everyone who has and to everyone who puts me as their favourite author or favourite story! **

**Thank you SO much!**

**--Egypt**


	14. Trace

**I am sorry for the wait, everyone. I know it was not as long as the really big one, but it has been longer than most and I'm very sorry I made you wait, but it's worth it. This one has a lot of information. Though it's not action packed, it is filler. I hope you enjoy it, and I want to send out a very special thank you to those who reviewed: **

destiny, Living Masquerade, luvableKnegi, ally0212, **and **0_0.

**I dedicate this chapter to you! **

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Jacob woke up to the sound of himself snoring. Before he opened his eyes all he could feel was embarrassment, his face burning even more hot than normal. He could feel Rayn's skin, now burning near the same temperature as him, against his chest. Her breathing had not changed.

Wow, he thought in amusement. Embry wasn't lying, she can sleep through anything.

He dared to open his eyes, the sunlight from the window hit the bed at a strange angle. It was not blazing against Rayn's face, probably the reason she had not woken. Jacob watched her eyes shifting slowly underneath their lids, he listened to her soft, deep breathing. Her skin looked just as baby soft as he remembered feeling. He tried to compare it to what was leaning against him, but could not.

He saw her strange tangled position. Her legs over his midriff, her back touching his shoulder while her right shoulder was against his own, her head slightly tilting the opposite way. It looked uncomfortable. He twisted away, going onto his side and facing her so she would have more room, she laid on her back, straightening out without a moment of conscious thought.

He saw it clearly then. What he had seen last night in the moonlight, illuminated by it's viciousness. But as the sunlight hit Rayn's left shoulder, Jacob could not help but gasp lightly in shock.

The scarring was deep. It was so deep that when it finally scarred over it was lifted from her unscathed skin, it looked pink and irritated. As if it were brand new and glowing from unshed blood. He raised his hand and lightly touched what he could now identify and felt a pain. A horrible pain throughout his body as real as the girl herself. It reverberated through his body and back into his fingers.

Pain for his imprint. He had never expected it to actually be physical.

He suffered the pain as he touched the layering scars, feeling how claws must have dug again and again into her shoulder. He followed it to her collar bone following it down toward her cleavage....

"It still hurts sometimes." Her voice, breaking the silence throughout the house startled him and made him reel his hand back to his side. She smiled lightly and felt it herself, following it where Jacob did not get a chance. "There are some on my ribs too."

"I-I'm sorry, I just thought...well, I don't know what I thought."

"It's okay. I know they're horrible." She looked back to him. "Remy said it built character." Jacob slightly cringed. He did not like that Remy had seen them in the first place. That was a lot of skin for her to be showing...

"Rayn?" He asked, looking deeply into her eyes. "I think you're beautiful. I think they're beautiful because they're on you."

She smiled. And self consciously touched them once more before curling up ever closer to him, her forearms touching his chest. She waited twenty seconds before curling up even closer.

"You're warm," she mumbled with her cheek against his chest. Jacob closed his eyes and grinned slightly, enjoying the moment. The feeling of her curving her body close to his. It was only a moment or two before her breathing became slow and rhythmic. Jacob smiled widely, opening his eyes and looking down at her. Rayn had fallen back asleep.

"Rayn..." Jacob lulled quietly. She didn't budge. So, he decided to play a bit more difficult while he put his arm on her unscathed shoulder. "Rayn..." He said again. She groaned, rolling over onto her back. Jacob looked at her scarred shoulder, watched how her back filled as she took her deep breaths.

He decided not to say her name again. Instead, Jacob decided to watch her caramel skin move in accordance to her breathing and fantasize about the future. _Their _future.

They were dating. She felt the same electric pull as he did and they would _have _a future. She trusted him to an eerie amount: speaking in front of him, letting him touch her scars, letting him spend the night. All he could think about for the duration of the night was the kiss they had shared. If only his hands hadn't roamed he wouldn't have touched her scarring and she wouldn't have uprooted the moment...not that he could blame her for doing it. He would have been scared, too.

But as his fantasies turned to a more sexual variety, Jacob tried to change his thoughts to what he would do while Rayn was catching up with Remy and Roma. He knew that he should do some catching up with the pack, learn everything he had missed about this mysterious smell - or lack thereof.

When Jacob crawled out of the bed, Rayn did not budge. He assumed that someone would get her up as soon as they were up to conversing themselves. Besides, it was probably better to leave before he was caught in her room...or at least, that was how he convinced himself to break his gaze on her to climb out the window.

Jacob was all too calm as he walked the short distance back towards his house. He had thought briefly about turning into a wolf to make it an even lesser trip, but the thoughts rolling around in his head about Rayn may make others roll around in laughter or discomfort. So, as Jacob made his way back towards his tiny wheel-chair access home he tried to focus his thoughts on what he was going to focus on for the day.

The house came into view and it took a while before he noticed Sam, clad only in a pair of worn jeans, was on his porch talking to his father. He quickened his pace to a jog, his long legs taking him to the porch in eight long strides.

"What's wrong?" Jacob asked immediately, his eyes darting between Sam's stern features and Billy's grave expression. Billy shifted in his chair so that he could regard both werewolves, Sam turned his chest toward Jacob as he lowered himself from an authority figure to a friend.

"Something's happened." Billy explained lightly, looking back to Sam for confirmation. Sam nodded, his dark eyes searching Jacob's. He took a shuttering breath before narrowing his eyes to continue.

"Since you don't know much about what we've been finding, we should explain the past first." Billy nodded, looking down towards his knees. "You know, I'm sure about how Seth found this...this _nothingness _around the res. This nothingness that blocks out all the smells, natural and unnatural in the area. Not consistent to anything we've ever found."

"Yeah, he let it slip when Rayn had her asthma attack." Jake nodded, narrowing his eyes to mimic Sam's own. Sam started to turn on his authoritative voice, his chest naturally started to inflate.

"No matter how many wolves are on patrol, this _stuff _keeps leaving trails of nothingness around our land. It has been getting closer and closer to houses, randoms on the reservation, Kim's, Claire's, even the Clearwater's house. Yesterday Quil was on patrol and saw the Cullen's at the line, following the scent from the outskirts of Forks back onto the reservation. By the time we followed it, the _thing _was all over the houses."

This _stuff. _This _thing. _This _nothingness. _The words reverberated loosely in Jake's head as he tried to remember. All those houses, all the houses of people he was supposed to be protecting. Then, something snapped in his head as his eyes refocused on the man in front of him.

"What do you mean '_all the houses_'?"

Sam seemed to have paled, he also seemed to have a harsh lump in his throat which he wanted to get rid of with all the swallowing he was doing. He blinked his eyes multiple times, Jacob was almost sure that he was fighting off tears even though there was no glistening in his eyes.

"As in, there was no smell near any of _our _houses. Any of the wolves. All of the wolves." Jacob froze.

"All...as in-"

"As in: we slept through it all without even knowing. The one's on patrol couldn't even catch _it _in time. We have no clue what this thing is and it has been near all of our loved ones. Near all of the imprints. Knows which one _our _houses are." Jacob could feel his bones hardening, his muscles spasming to go run for Rayn who was still asleep in bed, his shaking making him stay immobile as he tried to control his human figure.

Something, _something _as fowl as leeches themselves had infected the reservation. Something had been on the reservation last night, just meters or feet away from him as he slept beside the one person he would spend the rest of his life loving. The _thing _had been so close to Rayn that it could hear her breathing, see her chest inflating, smell her breath...

"Do you think it can smell _us_?" Jacob asked suddenly, his shaking ceasing with the thought. "I mean, you said it was by all of our houses...So maybe the smell is tracking us because we are tracking _it._"

"Are you suggesting it's a vampire?" Billy asked with a stunned expression. Sam automatically began to shake his head.

"No. Vampires don't smell like nothing. Vampires smell like sugar and cleaner. We wolves smell like the forest. Humans smell like...sweat and foods. This is something else."

"Something that's smart enough to trace us and get past us." Jake agreed, clenching his hands back into fists.

"Something fast. It's able to outrun us." Sam listed, ticking off another oddity to the list. Jacob couldn't stop nodding, trying to put all the pieces together.

"Something that knows what you are." Billy spoke grimly, his voice strained with worry. Jacob looked to his father and nodded, suddenly starting to get a little more worried for someone else other than Rayn. That must mean, if Sam was here, that the smell had also been at this house. Jacob couldn't smell it.

...He couldn't smell anything. I should start paying more attention, he thought lamely.

"Something that only tracks us at night." Sam said slowly. Jacob looked at him with raised eyebrows. That was not something he had known from the thoughts of the pack. Maybe it was something that he was putting together that moment.

"Something that isn't human." Jake finished, Sam nodded. Billy moved his head, but it did not look like a positive or negative gesture.

Jacob couldn't help the thoughts going through his head. The thoughts of leeches circling Embry's house and looking through Rayn's window as she sleeps peacefully. He imaged one placing it's mouth on her neck, seeing their blood red eyes fill with victory as her body sagged.

"Jacob, calm down." The voice of his father broke through his thoughts and he tried, without any change to calm his tremors. He looked to his father, trying to apologize without words. He calmed himself down after a full few minutes of poor trembling, trying to sooth his racing visions to more pleasant ones.

"So, what does this mean for us?" Jacob asked Sam. Sam did not hesitate to answer.

"It means that we will all be doing more rounds. Constantly." Jacob nodded his head without arguing. "Starting now. I'm going to call a meeting." He turned to Billy. "Sorry about all this. We'll get it fixed. We'll fix everything." With that, he ran into the tree line behind the house, pulling at the button on his jeans as he went. Jacob looked toward his father.

"What will we get fixed?" He asked. Billy shook his head, looking up at him with dark eyes.

"A couple windows broken and your blanket destroyed." Billy tried to smile. "Not that you need a blanket, nowadays."

Jacob's mouth tightened into a line. The _thing _had been in his room. The _thing _had his scent.

The _thing _was after them all.

***

Jacob wasn't sure how long he had kept running for. He knew that his eyes were sagging and that his body was sore. He knew that he had not seen Rayn in far too long, but that he couldn't bring himself to change and explain to her. Last he had seen her she had been getting a piggy back from Remy, she looked like she was about to fall asleep. It was almost enough to drive him to pull the boy apart as if _he _were the thing.

_You really should get some sleep._ Quil scolded meekly as he ran, just as quickly paced. None of them were thinking so much as using all their senses to try and find the trail from the smell that didn't exist.

_Not yet. I can do more._ Jacob told himself more than he told Quil. Just a couple more hours of running and he would be fine. After all, how long could he have possibly been running for?

_Around 29 hours or so. It's almost dark. _Sam sighed. _It's July 1st. _

Thoughts swarmed Jacob's vision. Thoughts of a party. On July 9th. One that had already been planned soon after he had left Rayn's side. According to Embry, Roma had gotten a call from Alice and the party just seemed to unravel. Jacobs muscles spasmed, how could he think of sleeping when he was so stressed he could barely stay in either form?

_Maybe if you get some sleep, you will feel better. _Sam suggested. Seth's thoughts perked to images of Rayn.

_Maybe if you go see Rayn you'll calm down. You know, 'cause you'll know she's safe and you won't need to be angry. _Images of Emily shot through Jacob's mind and he couldn't tell how many people had thought about it. Sam was the one that the painful ones and memories of how it happened were coming from, but the others seemed to come from other people knowing the same truth.

_He shouldn't risk it, no matter how much of a natural he is. _Embry thought gruffly, he could feel irritation rising in him. Jacob recognized the feeling, even if it was from a different perspective.

It seemed Embry also was not pleased with how much time needed to be spent away from Rayn, and he didn't appear to like who she was spending her time with. Roma and Remy had basically taken over the house, taking care of Rayn with whatever she needed and spending all of their time with her to prepare for her party.

_Eight days away. _Embry thought in response to Jacob's own. _The bloodsucker said-_

_Alice. Her name's Alice. _Seth grumbled. _And I don't know why you are so hesitant...he don't know what we're fighting. We can't be too careful._

_We've agreed to allow them on the land to be there, but that does not mean that we can trust them. _Sam thought forcefully. Seth's thoughts felt argumentative but there was something in the tone of Sam's thoughts that made him not dare to think of a response. To distract himself, Seth thought back to Rayn.

_Why don't you go see her? She must be worried. _

A tremor peaked under Jacob's fur in response, his fear of upsetting Rayn overweighing his fear of himself losing control. HE wouldn't lose control. Not with her. If he could keep his cool with Bella then he could keep it with her-

_Take it from me, Jake. _Sam's tone rang. _It only takes one second. One word that you don't expect. No matter how strong someone is._

But Sam was talking to a decided mind. All Jacob could think about was the girl with aqua eyes, the girl who he had laid beside who had been nearly as warm as him, the girl who was scarred inside and out, his girlfriend. His Rayn. His mind was flooded with images of her many smiles, her happy eyes, her creamy skin, her red scars...

_I've never seen them before. _Embry thought quietly, shame leaking through to Jacob's chest from Embry's mind. Jacob tried to rid his thoughts of the scarring, but as he thought of making the thought go away, the idea of her scars became more prominent and he started imagining touching them.

_There's so much of it, _Seth breathed in wonder. Watching the memory intensely. His pace had even slowed. Embry seemed close to tears.

_It must have been really bad when it happened to scar that badly. It looks like it happened yesterday. _He winced, his speed quickening in contrast to Seth's own. _Go see her. _

_You couldn't stop me._ Jacob smirked, tremoring as he imagined the scars again. He didn't slow his pace as he made a 70 degree rotation and ran towards Embry's crusting house. The trees flew past him, somewhere in his mind he heard the pack talking about how slowly Rayn and Jacob were moving in comparison to others. Jacob paid them only half a mind while he ran, full speed towards the house.

He started slowing his momentum down about half a kilometre from the house, knowing he was going too quickly to stop suddenly. He smelt Rayn already, he smelt her vanilla and cinnamon scent mixed with the smell of campfire. It smelt like recent campfire, as in the night before, even though when he finally could see her through the trees he noticed her hair was damp.

She sat on the steps, leaning against one of the entry poles. Her hair was damp and loosely curled, her eyes were downcast towards a book in her lap. She looked graceful as she sat reading, one finger pulling at a damp curl distractedly. Jacob looked to the windows, looking for any movement. He saw that the two were in the kitchen and seemed to be having a whispered argument. He wondered if that's why Rayn was out here, or if she knew at all.

Jacob walked out of the bushes quickly, waiting to get to a place where he couldn't be seen from the kitchen window. He hadn't seemed to have made a disturbance, because the two were still arguing behind the closed window. While he was walking, he purposely stepped on a twig. Surprisingly, it got her attention.

When Rayn's eyes turned to Jacob, still as a wolf, her face lit up. Her eyes brightened, her body froze, and her smile stretched wide across her face. It was only a moment before she was up, a very quiet gasp of "Jacob!" coming from her before she bounded towards him, sprinting as quickly as she could before hugging around his neck.

Jacob felt his body quiver, he felt his skin tingle where she was touching him. It was the first time that he felt a tremor to become a man rather than to become wolf. Usually rage fuelled his transformation, but something told him that today it was desire. As his body trembled she pulled her arms off of his neck. She pulled her fist from her head and flattened her hand out in front of her. _Man._

Jacob nodded his large head, she automatically turned around and headed for the porch while he headed back into the first layer of trees, grabbing his clothes from his leg in mid stride. As his body popped into an upright form, he marvelled in the fact that he once again felt awkward in his human form. It had been just over a day, but being a wolf was much easier a shape than that of a human.

But his skin burned with pleasure as the hair sunk back into his pores and the sun beat against his back. He had not noticed it was a sunny day. He pulled his clothes onto his warm body, feeling how cool they felt against his thighs, before he walked out of the brush to look towards Rayn, who was still turned around.

"Good morning." Jacob's voice came out a little more husky and strained than originally intended, so he cleared his throat as well. Rayn turned around quickly signing back.

'_Afternoon._' She corrected, with a smile.

"You look happy." Jacob observed aloud, sitting down with her on the porch.

'_I am happy_.' She signed back slowly, probably knowing that it needed to be slow for him to understand. She pointed behind her, signing a quick '_fighting._'

"And that's why you're happy? Because your best friends are fighting?" Rayn shook in silent giggles. She pointed to her book.

"Sure, sure. I know what you mean." He taunted. She hit him lightly on the arm, drawing her hand back from the heat.

"I wanted to talk to you," she whispered with just as rusty a voice as his own. He smiled, turning his body slightly to look at her.

"What about?" Her face contorted when he said this, she seemed confused with how to commence, so he waited, patiently. It took multiple moments before she spoke.

"Why have all the wolves been gone?" The question caught him off guard and he found himself looking away from her to try and find an appropriate answer. To tell her the truth may scare her, with her birthday party coming so closely she may think precisely what he thought and that it was too big a risk. To not tell her would be to lie, or at least to hide the truth and apparently she was good with detecting lies. After all, she knew he was a werewolf.

"Uh..." Was what he got out first. "Our patrol's have gone up a little bit. We figured since Roma and Remy were here that you wouldn't mind if we were gone a little more often."

"But why?" He furrowed his eyebrows. It was not like her to be so forward. Usually she was much more timid. He narrowed his eyes, but spoke honestly.

"Something's popped up on our radar. We're trying to find it." She nodded.

"Any luck?" She asked with a bit of strain. Jacob shook his head.

"Not yet."

"What, uh-" she cleared her throat, which was suddenly closed with angst. "What is it?" Jacob felt himself tremble quickly, he clenched his fist to hold back the emotion.

"We don't know." Her face was controlled, but obviously distressed. Jacob looked worried, he had obviously told her too much. She was far too nervous for them. "We'll get it, don't worry." She shivered.

Jacob immediately took the opportunity to wrap his arm her, and the shivering stopped. He smiled down to her, but her eyes would not meet his.

"Just...be careful." Jacob nodded, but during it tried to also conceal a yawn. It turned into a strange dance between the two and Rayn smiled. "How long since you've slept?"

"Uh...since I was with you." Her eyes popped. He jumped back slightly when she shot up in the air, grabbing for his hand. She tugged on it, not even close to budging him, but the intention was obvious. He stood.

"Bed. Come on, I needed a nap anyway." Jacob chuckled, stretching and touching the top of the porch before bending down and kissing the top of her head, making her giggle. She smiled towards him while she put her finger to her lips and tugged him into the house along her side, closing the bedroom door behind them.

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**Before anyone asks, no they are NOT having sex right now. But as for the rest of it, what did you think? Was it any good? I know it's crazy and that you guys HAVE to know something's going on now, but if you think you know what it is DON'T SAY, because in just two-three chapters, you will all find out! **

**I hope you enjoyed it, please PLEASE review! Reviews encourage me to write faster, honestly, it's true. I feel like you like it more, and I write another one so I can get more compliments :) That's how shallow I am. So REVIEW!**

**--Egypt**


	15. Danger

**Sorry for the delay everyone, but I think you'll end up liking this...this one has a bit more drama before all our questions are answered! I would like to thank the following people: Living Masquerade, VampireNick009, luvableKnegi, ally0212, and winchesterxgirl for reviewing! Thank you so much, this chapter is just for you!**

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Two days until her birthday, Jacob thought upon waking, he felt a pressure against his chest. It was so soon. He felt so unprepared.

Jacob groaned and stretched, feeling his arm hit something cool on the bed. When he looked to the side, he saw Rayn sleeping beside him, but she was not sleeping peacefully. Her eyes were squeezed so tightly that tears were escaping the white skin, which reminded him of angry white knuckles. Her chest heaved in awkward, irregular intervals, her throat made ragged sounds of pain. One hand was weaved tightly in her already tangled hair, the other was pushing against Jacob's chest. It was presumably what had woken him.

"Rayn," he whispered, his eyes wide with shock. He did not know what to do when someone was having a nightmare. If he woke her up, she may be afraid to see she was sharing her bed with him, if he did not wake her up he would surely be driven insane from seeing her in such pain.

Wake her up it is.

"Rayn. Wake up. You're alright..." Her wheezing came out a little faster, her head whipping from towards the ceiling to where his face was, her eyes shut closed. Then, after a moment of facing him, her head started whipping from side to side, as if trying to rid the images of her dreams from her mind. "Rayn, Rayn, you're alright."

"No-" she cried, tossing her head a little more violently. "No! Leave him alone!" Jacob could feel the worry etching over his features. He could feel the weight bearing in his chest, the fear locking his eyes towards her closed ones.

Jacob could never imagine how she could live with what she dreamed at night. But he could imagine what she dreamed _of. _She dreamed of a brutal murder, a little girl watching her teenage brother dying. A bloody little girl standing over her brothers corpse. Too afraid to leave him.

"Don't hurt him, just leave him alone. Please! Leave him alone!" She sobbed, tears freely pouring out of her closed eyes. Jacob touched her face, her tears were cold and sticky on her cheeks, her cheeks themselves were freezing cold behind his hand.

"Rayn...Rayn, please wake up." The pain in his chest was growing. It was making him choke up, but not with tears, he argued quickly. His mind creating an argument for himself. He placed his other hand on the other side of her face as she tried to thrash away from him. This woke her up.

Her eyes snapped open, the tears did not end their flow. Her large, shocked aqua eyes tried to focus on him, and it did not happen immediately. It took a moment before her pupils maintained one size, he wasn't sure whether the confusion seemed to leak from them or not. It also took a moment for Jacob to notice he hadn't noticed her breathing...

"Rayn?" He asked softly, worry lining his tone. Recognition flooded her eyes. So did tears. She quickly lunged towards him, grabbing him around his shoulders and pulling herself onto him.

Her sobs shook both of their bodies, she tried to choke her sobs and silence herself but she was so distressed that her breath was coming with dangerous, warning gasps. Rayn's tears were suddenly warm against his skin. His chest ached and swelled painfully with each cry of her pain.

"Rayn it's okay, it's me. You're safe." Jacob soothed, his eyes wide with her unmistakable pain. He could feel that her nails were nearly breaking the skin on his shoulder blades because of how tightly she was pulling him towards her. He could feel her shuddering body slightly underneath him, something he tried to correct immediately. But she began to panic as he pulled away and somehow after a bit of a tangle, she ended up on top of him. Her face buried in his chest, her breathing a dangerous asthmatic wheeze.

"Not you. Not you, too." Her voice croaked, it was a bad sound. Jacob knew the sound, the intense wheezing that had begun.

"Rayn, where's your puffer?" He asked urgently, he tried to sit up but he was afraid to jostle her now that she had all her weight on top of him. She did not reply, instead all she did was try to breathe. He would have let it slide were it not for the rattling that seemed to come from her chest.

So, he awkwardly picked her up with him. It wasn't the stereotypical pick up that everyone hears about in movies or stories where he picks her up bridal style to save her. She was in far too awkward a position and he was afraid to move her too much, so he put his arms firmly around her and lifted her exactly as she was. One arm was gently touching his chest, another was crammed under herself which was crammed under his arms. One leg was dangerously close to coming loose of the hold.

He saw the puffer as soon as he was standing. It was bright fuchsia, just like her drawstring bag. As he bent at an awkward angle to get it into his hand without disturbing his grip on her, her breathing went from rasping to gasping for air. Because of this his movements naturally quickened, dropping them both back onto the bed.

He handed the puffer to her, her hand grabbed it loosely. She shook it with numb fingers and pulled it to her lips. Inhaling deeply while the medicine nosily came out of the tube. Her chest expanded and didn't move for a long moment before she let out the trembling breath without any raspiness. Jacob waited about ten seconds, for it was all he could wait before he looked into her eyes.

"Rayn are you okay?" His voice was low and muted, he could tell there was a strange ring behind it. It was coated in worry and fear.

Rayn nodded her head, snuggling into him. She didn't say anything but stayed immobile for a long time while her breathing slowed. Jacob was extremely aware of everywhere she was touching him, her warm skin was against his in so many places that his head felt as if it were spinning. He was biting his lips because of the tingling sensation that was tickling them.

"Rayn?" He asked softly, not able to tell if she had fallen asleep. Her head turned up towards him, her eyes watery. He had not felt tears hit his chest, but she seemed to be crying. It pulled at his insides, making him feel horrible. He sat up quickly, putting his arms around her. "What's wrong?"

She shook her head for an answer. Today seemed to be one of the days she was determined not to use her voice. Part of Jacob didn't mind, he respected her way of living, but the other part yearned to hear her voice. She looked towards him again, but this time moved so she could easy examine his face.

She seemed to be looking for some sort of answer from him, something that he didn't know so could not say to comfort her. Her aqua eyes looked deeply into his own dark brown, he found his breath quickening and he tried to control his imagination.

She leaned forward slowly, teasingly, after all she was slightly smiling. She pressed her lips ever so lightly against his own, which he responded to immediately, but she pulled away. She spelt out a name with her hand,

'_Alice_.' She spelt. He groaned, the memory of today's plans rushing into his mind. Today was the day that Alice and Roma met for the first time to do more things for the party, including buying things for it. They were taking Rayn out on a shopping excursion, without Jacob. When Jacob had asked why, Alice had made the excuse that she wanted the boys to be surprised. He had been sour enough to ask if Remy was accompanying the girls, but had been relieved to hear that it was just the girls going...

What if Bella went? Would Bella say anything to Rayn that would incriminate Jacob for the way he once felt? Or, would she do anything foolish? She may have great control for a new vampire, but she still _was _a vampire. Someone who sucked life out of others and injected it, like poison back in...

When had he started thinking of Bella like this? How long ago had it been that he was in love with her? How long had it been since he had met Rayn? 16 days. Just over two weeks.

Jacob was knocked out of his reverie when Rayn reached over him to grab her notepad. He was aware when her warm skin brushed against his searing hot flesh, he was aware of how soft it was, how smooth it glided across his own.

_I have a favour to ask you._

She wrote. She had taken extra time to make the writing look elegant and when he looked back into her eyes they were big and purposely innocent looking. He found himself raising his eyebrows, knowing that this favour was something he was not going to enjoy.

"What?" He kept his voice suspicious, but she was already scribbling before he had finished the word.

_Will you __please__ talk to Remy today? Roma's going to get you, Embry, and him to do errands. _

He shook his head, muttering his protests and pulling himself up on the bed. She followed him immediately while also trying to scribble an excuse.

_Please__ Jake? He's my best friend. It would be so much easier if you two would just get along._

"I can't just do that," Jacob grumbled, crossing his arms to try and fight off her large, puppy-dog eyes. "He's basically in _love _with you, Rayn. I'm not just gunna l-"

_Please. For me._

Jacob sighed. She looked like her eyes were getting glossy and her breath was once more becoming laboured. But Jacob really _didn't _want to spend time with Remy. The way he looked at Rayn, the way he found excuses to touch her, and then the way he _did _touch her when he got to...it was the same way that Jacob did. And that did not only alarm him, but it infuriated him. Yet, at the same time, here was Rayn ready to cry because he wouldn't spend anytime with the asshole at all. It didn't make sense to him. He doubted it ever would.

What _did _make sense was that Rayn - _his _girlfriend, his imprint, his Rayn - was crying. It made pain shoot through his chest when he realized that it was something that he could have easily prevented. And any pain she feels, he felt ten times as bad. Or so it seemed.

"For you." Jacob said lowly, bringing her into his chest by wrapping his arms around her shoulders. "But I won't promise either one of us'll like it."

She said nothing but snuggled closer to him. They stayed like that - Jacob with a goofy smile on his face - for a long while before someone knocked on the door. Without waiting for an answer, Remy came in and froze immediately upon looking at the scene. His grip tightened menacingly against the door knob and his whole body went rigid with anger. His eyes blazed on Jacob.

"You should make yourself decent. There are a couple _girls _here to see Rayn." He said pointedly, looking at Jacob with a scowl.

"I would have, but you didn't wait before knocking." Jacob said with a wiggle of his eyebrows. Had Rayn seen it, he was sure she would have hit him. Luckily her head was still oddly on his chest. He was surprised, but felt encouraged to taunt further.

"Well, they're in the living room. Embry wants you to come out. Now." He said, looking to Jacob on the last part of the sentence. He closed the door with a lot more power than need be to keep it shut. Rayn looked up at him with a sigh, her aqua eyes clinging to his own eyes. He almost missed what she was signing.

'_Just talk. Be nice._' Jacob just nodded. But she continued. '_He's my friend._'

Jacob kissed her cheek, making them flush automatically. She bit her lip as she clumsily got up, crawling over him and hitting him multiple times in the stomach. When she was up she started pulling clothes on over her tank top and shorts.

She wore one of her baggy shirts, along with jean caprice. Her white runners were prelaced to her feet and she slipped them on without hesitation. She threw her tangles up into a high ponytail, shuffling her feet a bit as he examined.

"You look great." He assured. She smiled, shoving the drawstring bag up the shoulder of her baggy, black shirt. She blew him a quick kiss before signing quickly.

'_Play nice,_' and another sign that he couldn't identify. When he asked her to clarify she spelt it out. '_P-U-P-P-I-E-S._' He let out a large, barking laugh that sounded canine, even to him. She quickly opened up the door and trotted into the living room, where voices quickly filled Jacob's head.

"We're glad to have you join us." That was the aggravated voice of Remy, who seemed to be muttering more to himself than to Rayn.

"Are you ready for a day of shopping?" That voice belonged to Roma. It was more excited than Jacob had ever previously heard it.

"Oh, I can't wait to get you out of those clothes and into something spectacular!" That tingling voice belonged to Alice. It was sickeningly sweet and pixie-like. The same exciting tone laced through it that had been in the worst of situations. She was always excited.

"You're looking better. Don't worry, I'm afraid of shopping, too." That voice made him shiver. It had the jingling bells of vampire voices and yet the undeniable low undertone to who had once been his best friend. And the love of his life. It did not sound excited, but rather exhausted and peaked.

Jacob could not help himself as his body lurched off of the bed. He tried to understand the motives for the reaction as he slipped on his shirt and started walking towards the front entrance.

Was it because he was worried for Rayn's safety? In a room with two vampires, one of which was newly turned, was clearly not safe. Or, could it be because he had heard Bella's voice? He hadn't been worried when he heard Alice's. Could it be that he wanted to see Bella still? And if that was so, why? She couldn't mean anything to him anymore. Bella was married, taken, and a changed woman. She wasn't even a woman anymore...so why was his body reacting as if she was the same Bella he had once loved?

When he got out to the kitchen-entrance way, he saw petite little Alice jingling right by the door. She seemed antsy to leave and all too upset that she had to stay. Roma was grabbing her purse, decored in more hippy-styled clothing with lots of beads and a long golden braid. Remy was moping in the corner, his eyes glaring at anything that was moving...except Rayn. He purposefully kept his glare away from her. Embry was leaning against the table, signing to Rayn. She was signing extremely quickly, perhaps to make sure that the others couldn't pick up what she was saying.

Bella stood awkwardly wedged between Alice and the kitchen counter. She seemed even more excited over the prospect of leaving than anyone. She looked about ready to pounce out of the door as soon as it was opened and didn't really speak in the meantime.

"Well, we should get going. We have a long day of shopping ahead of us." Roma said with a final tone, she hadn't seemed to notice Jacob come in. Remy had, his glare had briefly shifted to him but shifted back to the bubbly girls almost immediately. So, he was too disgusted with him to look, huh? That would make the day easier.

"Rayn, do you want to ride in the front?" Alice asked, signing loosely as she said the words. Jacob had forgotten that she could understand sign language. He had learned it from her asthma attack a week or so before.

Rayn shook her head, signing back that she didn't need to. She said that she and Roma could sit in the back while Bella drove to whichever mall Alice picked. While Alice smiled, Bella quickly shrugged looking quickly at Jacob then averting her eyes.

"We're going to go wait in the car, come meet us." She quickly placed her hand around Alice's wrist and pulled her out of the door, Alice's protesting muted by the closing of the oak door.

Rayn quickly spun around, making eye contact with Remy. He automatically straightened his posture, gesturing for her to come over to him. He leaned down to her ear, it was a bit of a height difference, before he closed his mouth off from Jacob's view and started whispering. Rayn nodded, her hands flinching, as if she was going to reply with them.

Rayn's eyes were wide as she pulled away, nodding animatedly. Roma nodded, her eyes slightly narrowed towards her brother where she nodded once. Rayn went over to Embry and basically tackled him with a hug. Embry laughed aloud, but returned it. He seemed happy to be given some form of attention. She looked to Jacob while hugging him and smiled. He was not upset that it was all he got.

She turned to Roma, linking arms with her as she put it out. They walked, gracefully out the door and shut it behind them, Roma waving in a royal way behind her back.

Each boy listened to the car doors slam, the engine start, and the stones underneath the tires as the car rolled away. They waited until the sounds of the car were gone, which took a long time considering how good the werewolves hearing were. They waited after it, before Embry finally sighed.

"The three of us are supposed to get along today." He told, looking from Jacob to Remy. Remy shook his head, again crossing his arms over his chest.

"Not going to happen." He stated, glaring holes through Jacob's pupils. Jacob felt himself glare back, each muscle jumping as if he were dangerous. Jacob found himself mimicking Embry and Remy as he leaned against something. He did it to ease his nerves.

"Listen, I don't want to do it _either._" Jacob growled, looking straight back to Remy with challenge written all across his features. "But Rayn made me promise to try and be civil. And for her, if I have to bite through my own lips to try, I will."

"How sweet." Remy muttered, pushing himself off the wall to stand at full height. Jacob noticed though Remy was fairly tall, that he was even larger with muscle. He was abnormally broad chested, with wide shoulders. He seemed too big for how small his stance was in comparison, but Jacob tried to file that in the back of his mind before he would try to use it against him.

"What are we supposed to _do _anyway?" Remy asked, and for just a moment, Jacob could understand why Rayn had once been attracted to him. He ruffled his light brown hair by running his hand through it. It looked like bright, wild moss climbing behind his eyes. He wasn't glaring, for once, but he seemed tired, exhausted. He seemed to have gotten a bit of sun while he was here - which was surprising, Jacob didn't remember him going outside - because he seemed to have thousands more freckles littering his skin.

"Just some of the fine-tune things," Embry sighed. "Gathering some wood for the fire, talk to Emily about the food..."

"Emily's making the food?" Jacob felt his mouth water. Emily was easily the best cook on the reservation, she knew exactly what the wolves wanted and when they wanted it.

"Of course she is. What should we do first?"

"Firewood." Remy said immediately, his quick reaction telling both Embry and Jacob that he didn't want to go see any of their friends. Jacob threw a look to his friend, having the sceptic glance returned before Embry shrugged his shoulders.

"Firewood it is." He went to walk out to the shed, probably to grab a wheelbarrow and an axe. Remy's animal green eyes glared into Jacob's while he took a couple steps toward him, most likely to try and look menacing. Jacob's body instinctively reacted as he felt his muscles coil to lunge.

"I'll do it for Rayn. _Not _for you." With that, he followed Embry and waited near the edge of the forest. Embry came out with an axe slung over his shoulder and dragging a wheelbarrow awkwardly behind himself. Jacob took a deep breath, calming himself since he had already started to feel a bit of a tremor in his muscles. It didn't make sense how his body reacted to Remy's, an instinct that rang with Jacob's own fear.

But Jacob was a wolf. He had no need to be afraid of Remy. Remy could never do anything to hurt him, he was just one medium sized guy in a land of giant shape shifting wolves. There was nothing Remy could do that could hurt him.

***

Jacob seemed to be underestimating Remy.

As Embry and Jacob sat back to watch Remy chopping firewood, they realized that he was a lot stronger than they had thought. Even after they had seen him drag a large log over to a better place to chop. He could easily lift a lot of weight.

Not that we couldn't have lifted it, Jacob argued with himself as he watched. It was just such a thought that they hadn't thought to offer help.

Embry sent Jacob another sceptical look, which Jacob could easily read. _He should not be able to do that._

He finished chopping that portion of the log and stood up straight. Holding his back and brushing some sweat from his brow. He looked straight up in the sky, muttering something silently to himself. He then shook his head and went back to chopping, muscles rippling under his clothes.

"Once we're done here, we can take it to Emily's, talk about the food, eat some food, and drag it to the beach. It's not far from there." Embry said slowly, looking back to Jacob. He didn't seem quite as shocked about Remy's hidden talents as he was. Perhaps it was because the two knew each other...hey, they even got along most of the time.

"Where does a name like Remy come from?" Jacob found himself asking, arms crossed over his chest as Remy chopped the last bit of wood. Embry let out a laugh beside him.

"Actually, it's a short form. Isn't it _Remy?_" Remy gave a grunt of disgust but as he turned around there was a bit of a smile on his face. "It's short for...what is it?"

"Redell Myles." He muttered, scratching his arm. "My Dad was on crack." Jacob couldn't help but snort along with the three as they laughed.

"Is Roma a short form too?" Jacob asked, Remy nodded his head.

"Yeah. Her full name's Rosa Marie. Just a mouthful." Jacob nodded, thinking the name was actually very suiting for the hippie styled girl.

"So how long have you guys known each other?" Embry knocked Remy on the back.

"I don't remember how long we've known each other. Feels like forever, doesn't it?" Embry asked, Remy nodded his head.

"I was Leo's best friend." Embry hushed at once. Jacob began to analyze what was wrong with the sentence...what could have sounded so wrong about how he said it? Was it that he mentioned it at all, or was it because there was no sadness in his voice? Then again, Jacob no longer spoke with lingering sadness when he said Bella's name. Even though his was for a completely different reason.

"One of the world's wonders. Seeing the sun and the moon at the same time." Embry said to break the silence, gazing up at the sky. The clouds were just beginning to gather around the blue in the sky. Jacob's eyes adjusted quickly so he could see the moon, about two or three days short of being full. It was very slight, the same colour as the rain clouds.

"Only one thing I love more than the moon." Remy said lowly, his eyes snapping to Jacob. They flashed oddly, making Jacob suspicious of what was to be said.

"What's that?"

"Rain." He answered simply. Jacob's muscles trembled angrily as he walked away, throwing the axe over his shoulder...as if he knew where he was headed.

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**Hope you enjoyed and please review. The next one will come a lot sooner since it's the one where EVERYTHING HAPPENS! Get ready for some answers everyone, but while you're waiting PLEASE review! **

**--Egypt**


	16. The Smell

**Well, here it is. The next instalment. The one that explains everything. The one where almost everything happens (which will also be continued in the next chapter). I would like to send special thanks to:** augustblack, VampireNick009, Angel of the Night Watchers, winchesterxgirl, luvableKnegi, Shnitzel, elladora lestrange, SleepyHeather, **and **Living Maquerade **for reviewing! I've decided, since I'm already have done the following chapter that the more people who review the sooner I will release the next one. So everyone should follow the lead of those listed above :) **

**Here you go guys, this is what you've all been waiting for. I hope I do it justice!**

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"You can't see her, Jacob!" Alice shrieked, holding her skinny arms out to block him entrance to her bedroom. Jacob rolled his eyes, looking over to Bella who was carefully keeping her eyes away from his.

"Will one of you tell me what is going on? It's her birthday! I should be allowed to see me girlfriend on _her birthday_!" Bella seemed to cringe away from him, but brought her eyes up to his face. She could not, however, seem to look into his own eyes. They had been here for over half an hour. Everyone had rushed into Rayn's room, kicking him out, and then they had relentlessly been keeping him here in the hallway for the duration of the time.

"Will you just go into Embry's room?" Alice groaned. "Honestly, I don't understand why this has to be so difficult if-"

"I want to see Rayn!" He shouted, sounding like a young child.

"-if it's what Rayn _wants_!" Alice finished, glaring maliciously into Jacob's eyes.

"She's right you know," Bella said quietly. "Rayn wants you to go into his room with Embry and Remy so that you can get changed for the big day." She seemed to sneer.

"I'm wearing what I _always _wear." Jacob hissed, looking down to his cut off sweat pants. Alice rolled her eyes, she was overly upset with him.

"Not today, you aren't. Now move! Move! Move! _Move_!" Bella pushed him, with much more strength than needed, towards Embry's bedroom. When he got to the door he turned around, looking at her sceptically.

"Bella, what is going on?" Bella let out a big breath.

"Alice and Roma are going all out for her birthday. She kind of reminds me of me, since she doesn't want much to happen. But if you want to be appropriate for _your princess_, you'd better go in." Jacob gave a look of confusion when her voice hissed the words 'your princess'. If she could have blushed like she used to her cheeks would have been dark red as she turned around to walk away from him.

Jealousy again? Wasn't her sister in law just in front of her and her husband residing in the kitchen? How could she possibly be jealous now that _he _got to be happy too? Out of frustration he went in the door just so he wouldn't have to look at the vampire, closing the door loudly behind him.

He wished he hadn't.

"No way." He shook his head, looking at Embry and Remy. They were dressed smartly, in black dress pants and dress shirts. Remy's shirt was black with a bright green tie that matched his eyes. Embry was in a bright orange dress shirt without a tie. They were even wearing _shoes. _"No way!" He said again, taking a step back in alarm. They were _not _going to dress him up like some Ken Barbie doll.

"You dressed up for Bella's prom!" Embry argued, crossing his arms over his chest. There he went, protective brother figure for her.

"That was different! My Dad _made _me and at the same time I had to tell her that we were _watching _her! I was told to look non-terrifying." He responded angrily taking another step back and putting his hand on the door knob.

"Rayn's dressing up too." Remy's green eyes were narrowed darkly. "And if _you _don't want to be her date, I'll put on your colour tie and match her instead."

"Back off, _Redell_." Jacob growled, he found his body leaning forward as if he wanted to attack. His body naturally seemed to want to attack him, did he really need to encourage it by being such an ass?

"He's right. If you don't want to go by the plan, then-"

"_What plan_?!" He howled. "Why don't I know what's going on?" Embry came up and grabbed Jacob's shoulder, crunching it under his hand. He was clearly even more frustrated with him than Jacob was with the situation.

"_You're _going on a date." Embry said through clenched teeth. "While we get everything ready, you're going to be distracting her. If you don't want that, _Remy _will go on the date with her," his voice dropped. "And if you had seen them when you weren't there...well let's just say that you _don't _want that."

"I don't have anything to dress up in." He said with gritted teeth. Remy's eyes had not left his own and he was not sure if he had heard everything that Embry had said. Remy looked...charming. He looked like he was in his element, dressed all in black with the green tie.

"Alice thought of that too." Embry told, taking his harsh grip from his shoulder and walking over to pick up something from the bed. When he turned and straightened, Jacob recognized it as a garment bag. He couldn't stop his eyes from rolling as he took it from Embry.

"You're serious? She bought me clothes?"

"Bella called Billy for your sizes." Embry smirked, but Remy scoffed.

"I can't believe you didn't have any to _begin _with."

The comment hit home, making Jacob want to punch him. He felt the tremors roll down his back as Embry broke their eye contact by stepping in front of Jacob, glaring at Remy.

"Some of us aren't from rich families." He growled. "Get off his back, Rem." He turned back to Jacob, a flash of dangerous green eyes came behind him before he saw Embry's dark chocolate eyes. "Get changed."

For some reason, the authority in Embry's voice made him listen. Jacob walked over to the corner of the room, behind Embry's dresser to get changed. Hanging the garment bag on the top peg, which was up to his nose, he looked at the black garment bag warily. Jacob had not worn a full set of clothes since the first night Rayn had been here. Before that, he could not remember. Back to the time when he and Bella had been hanging out? And when had been the last time he wore shoes? When had been the last time he owned any his size?

Unzipping the garment bag, he heard the shoes which had been bought for him clang against the floor. He looked at them and winced. They were even _shiny. _Taking a look at them he noticed they were the last size he had owned...had he grown at all? He saw a pair of black pants, equipped with a black belt which he immediately put slipped on. They weren't comfortable, especially in comparison to the sweatpants he had just taken off. They felt like paper or cardboard with their new processed smell.

After his pants and belt had been put on, he put on his shoes. As soon as he stood up once they were on and laced, he winced. They were just too snug. He was probably a size or so bigger than he used to be. They were as shiny as his belt.

Next he put on his shirt. It was a white, collared, button-up. When he started buttoning it, he felt his sleeves getting shorter and shorter...so he had broadened in the chest as well. What was he, 6'9" now? He was 6'7" when his bones were rebroken and mended by Carlisle. So he had to be at least 6'9" now. Damn, that had to stop.

He finished doing up the shirt and rolled up his sleeves to his elbows grabbing the tie and wrapping it around his neck as he stepped out from behind the dresser. "I forget how to tie it," he muttered, gently touching it.

"Figures." Remy scoffed, folding his arms over himself.

"If you _want _to fight, Redell, you're well on your way to getting one." Jacob informed with a glare, taking a menacing step forward. He felt it in his toes, but the slight pain was worth it. Remy accepted the challenge taking a step forward, himself. Though he was about 6 or 7 inches shorter, something about him looked vicious. Maybe the look in his bright moss-coloured eyes.

"A fight with you? Why, so I can get the silent treatment from Rayn because I beat you up so badly?" Jacob scoffed.

"She doesn't give _me _the silent treatment." He smirked. "Too bad that you didn't get her and instead you lost her to someone she barely knows." Remy's body seemed to flare in anger, his voice rose. Just like each hair on Jacob's arm and neck seemed to.

"You think you're so big and mighty, Jacob Black, but in the end I've been there for her much more than you. I'm the one who holds her when she cries, I'm the one who saves her when she's in trouble, and I'm the one who listens to her when she _does _decide to talk. I've got years on you, kid. Years where I _have _got to kiss her, hold her, and years when she has told me that _she loves me-_"

_Love. _It made Jacob's stomach churn. It made sweat bead on his brow. His bones ached as he started to tremble, Remy's face was contorting in a way that Jacob could not explain. It was like it was stretching and shrinking, his eyes were glaring so brightly that there seemed to be a light shining behind them. But Jacob was already starting to bend down, preparing himself to shed his new clothes by exploding into a mass of muscle.

He heard Embry yelling at him, trying to warn him of what he was doing, but Remy's voice was still growling in a contorted way, Jacob's ears must be ready to shift.

"-Rayn has loved me for longer than she has known you existed and she'll end up picking me because I'm the one that has been there and knows her. I'm the one she trusts. I'm the one who knows _everything_, has been part of _everything_-"

Jacob felt his feet starting to grow within his shoes, felt his pants starting to get tighter...felt arms around his waist. But they were not the arms that he had wanted to be there and he knew that if he were to transform right now the only one that would get hurt would be Remy himself. Remy could die for the way he was making Rayn out to be.

Yes, Jacob wished he had been there for those years, he wished he could know everything that she had not had time to tell him...but he would. She was his imprint...she had basically said that she needed him. But not that she loved you, a voice in his head told him. But she had told Remy. And now, he was going to try and take her away...

And he would die for it. No one would take Rayn away from him. Not now, not ever.

Maybe this was what Alice saw, Jacob thought distantly. Maybe this was the thing which was lured out on this day...this monster that was about to virtually destroy his imprints best friend...

...Rayn. Rayn wouldn't want this, would she?

It was then that there was a blur of colour, as someone silently ran in between the two. And who else would it have been? Jacob could feel Embry's arms around his waist, he could still see Remy's glowing green eyes. He could hear the girls screaming in the background...it must be the only voice he could not hear.

Rayn was looking towards Remy at the moment, but seemed to be showing no favouritism in who she would have wanted to win the fight. A hand was nearly touching each of their chests...when had they gotten so close? When her head turned toward him, Jacob couldn't help but notice that her hair was out of her face. He was too angry and close to the transformation to notice how it was done. She seemed to have had makeup done, something looked different about her...

Maybe he knew the change was from makeup because of the dark streaks draining down her face from her red, watery eyes. Her lips were quivering, open as she hyperventilated herself in her sobs. Her eyes were trying to stay open to look at him, but she was in such hysteria that she could not keep her eyes open for very long. They must sting from the make up, he thought.

Rayn started looking between the two, trying to know who she should calm down first. Jacob realized that his skin was still crawling and trembling and almost repelled himself from her. He knew that he was close enough to the transformation that one word, one word probably beginning with 'L' could snap him into a monster. He calmed down immediately, his legs shrinking, his shoes fitting at least a tad better, his shirt unsticking from his skin.

When he looked to Remy, he could tell that Remy had calmed as well. His eyes were no longer illuminated, nor were they looking towards him. They were looking at Rayn with a pleading worry, as if he didn't know how to react either. He looked like he had been caught with his hand in the cookie jar...

Jacob felt like every wonder he had ever had over how Sam could lose control with Emily close by were coming back and slapping him in the face. There was a part of him that wanted to run away from her so he could howl his pain to the sky outside, the sky that would undoubtedly rain it's disappointment on him. There was a larger part of him, however, that wanted to take Rayn in his arms to prove to her, to Remy, and to himself that he was okay and that he knew that she was the most important thing in his world...

But as he tried to take a step forward, reaching out to touch her, she flinched away from his hand as if his hot skin had scorched her. She looked at him with wide eyes full of confusion, as if she wasn't used to being touched by him.

Had Jacob been paying very close attention he probably would have seen the look of twisted pleasure Remy's face took on at the sight of it. But when he reached forward, she jumped away from his touch as well. She took both of their chests and with a hand on each pushed them, gently but intentionally away from her.

And then for the first time that Jacob had ever seen, Rayn glared. At him and then at Remy. The look was so shockingly different from every other look she had given him that he found himself shivering. It was cold and if there was _any _trace of emotion inside of it, it was fury. She started shaking her head, as if answering a question that he had not heard...where was the bloodsucker when you need him?

She took a step backward, towards Embry who had somehow moved from being attached to Jacob's torso to right behind her, hands on her shoulders. Jacob took in what she was wearing as she looked up to him with a mixture of sadness and fear. She was in one of her loose fitting shirts which almost covered up the fact she was wearing black shorts. On her feet were fuzzy socks, one green and one yellow. Jacob lightly remembered her complaining about being cold and then tossing off her pyjama pants in the night. Her hair was done in an up do with single curls randomly positioned near her face. He was right, she did have make up on, but most of it was now smudged on her cheeks.

She looked prettier without it anyway, he thought distractedly. He then remembered why he was looking at her so warily in the first place.

Embry slid her out of the room, her socks rubbing against the old hardwood. When she had been ushered out of the room into Roma's arms (they heard a groan and "now we have to redo everything!") Embry walked back into the room.

"Alright, Jacob you come with me to get the food from Emily. Remy, drag Roma out of that room and start getting the decorations ready." Embry began walking out of the room without another word, Jacob followed at a bit of a jog. He could hear Alice's tinkling voice telling Rayn that it was okay.

"How big of an asshole am I?" Jacob whispered to Embry, only to get a glare in return.

"You're the paper, too."

***

Rayn looked stunning. Her hair was still in the updo, her makeup had not been redone as heavily. Her dress was white...well, Jacob reasoned, it wasn't _straight _white. She was dressed in something that closely reminded him of Marilyn Monroe, and everywhere it folded there was a shimmering aqua, much like her eyes when she cried. The only fault to the dress was the giant scar coming from her shoulder, slightly tarnishing the image to anyone else who wasn't Jacob. He felt a pain run through him each time he noticed it, but didn't think it changed her. It made his whole body twitch in agony.

Everyone else seemed to have picked a colour, the werewolves were in more earthy tones, save Embry who was in orange and Jacob who was white. Alice and Jasper were in blood red...ironic considering who Jasper was. Rosalie and Emmett were in gold, Carlisle and Esme had suited purple, Edward and Bella were in dark blue. The colour she had worn for her Prom.

Hours later, everyone was gathered outside Embry's house. During the dinner, Emily and Roma occupied her side at the table, which was placed outside under the rainless clouds. The rain from earlier had left everything damp, the clouds hovered over the sky and sheilded the sun for the Cullen's benefit. Dinner consisted of lasagna, ham, potatoes, and corn. While the Cullen's tried to mask the fact that they weren't eating, everyone else took enough so that they didn't have to.

"Embry..." Jacob whined, looking down to his food moodily before looking back towards Rayn, who was currently smiling and signing to Alice. She was enthusiastically signing back. Embry looked to him and shrugged his shoulders.

"I don't know what to tell you, man." Embry sighed.

"Do you think she'd hate me if _I _went up to _her_?" Embry nodded his head.

"Just, keep low for now. We have to be on alert anyway."

"Not until everyone else is gone." Jacob told, looking quickly at Sue, who he remembered was not supposed to be there when everything happened. He looked back to Embry, and like a young child whined again. "I don't like this feeling...I don't like it when she's mad at me..."

"Maybe if you and Remy hadn't fought..." He said slowly. "Or maybe if you hadn't almost phased..." He added lowly. Jacob shook his head in his own disappointment. Yes, he had almost transformed and destroyed her best friend...but that had been _hours _ago.

"Don't worry Jake. If you would pay attention, you'd know she's been talking about you." Embry smirked, patting him once on the back before turning to talk to Quil and Claire, making his voice go up over half an octave for the conversation.

But Rayn had refused to talk _to _Jacob or Remy for what must have been days. It had to be more than the hours then it had looked like, from the anxiety he was feeling. He felt so anxious that he could barely stand tearing his eyes away from her which made it very difficult for him to eat his meal of meat lasagna, Caesar salad, and corn. It seemed he preferred to watch Rayn eat hers than eat his own.

Remy seemed to have gotten the same feeling. But there was something about his posture that was throwing Jacob's mind into circles of jealousy. He looked _possessive. _There was a hunch to his shoulders and a tenseness in his arms while they rested on the table that reminded him of something stalking it's prey. If that not be the case, there was something bestial about it.

The meal was still rolling when people began to leave. It started with Claire feeling tired, so Quil called her mother. Then Sam was kissing Emily and having a very hushed conversation with her, to which she seemed very disgruntled. Then Sue and Billy were whispering as she started to edge his wheelchair towards the poorly paved road...

"It's starting." Jacob whispered to Embry who nodded firmly in agreement. Jacob looked back to his chocolate cake, nearly demolished except for the icing. His stomach was in such knots that he felt nauseous with the idea of all the sugar. He looked towards Rayn's and saw that she had barely touched hers as well, she was sending a meaningful glance towards Remy.

The glance was as dark as the after-sunset which was falling upon the party, and it lifted Jacob's spirits. She was acknowledging something that Jacob had not been witness for and he cursed himself for needing to inspect his own piece of cake. Remy's look was dark in return, which made Jacob wonder what they were thinking of. A few minutes prior Remy had looked like he would fall to his knees and beg for forgiveness were she to have paid attention...

Rayn got out of her seat to go see off those who were leaving. She first went to wave off Claire, making funny faces that Jacob hadn't expected her to ever be comfortable enough to make. While Claire noisily asked why she couldn't speak, Quil ushered her out to her mother who was waiting in the drive way.

Next she signed eagerly to Sue and Billy. There was even a couple times where she had them laughing, but Jacob was too aware of the time to really care.

Something was coming toward them. Now. And it was only now he was able to feel it.

It was something in the air, like a change in pressure. There was no wind, no breeze to cool them off from the humidity which drenched them in heat. In the air lingered the smell of sweat and nerves...everyone else could feel it, too. The tension was starting to become so thick that Jacob physically took his knife and cut through it. He was half surprised that he didn't see anything from his efforts.

Emily was next to go. She kissed Rayn on the cheek before she exited, followed swiftly by Kim and Rachel. And it was now that Jacob started to get anxious. The feeling in the air lingered over them like the clouds above their heads and it made him want to rush those who needed it out of the oncoming downpour.

He hadn't much thought of what he was going to do about Rayn, Roma and Remy. It was not that much of an issue if Rayn were to see everyone in their wolf forms or the Cullen's in action, which he would later explain. But Roma and Remy were a problem. He needed to get the three out of whatever he was getting them into and make sure that they didn't see anything and could keep Rayn safe from whatever was coming.

He looked towards Sam, who had sat in front of him as soon as Emily was gone. It seemed to be the thing on his mind as well while he stared down the twins at the other side of the table. Jacob cleared his throat to get his attention.

"I don't know either." Sam said in a whisper, he seemed agitated. Jacob could see the hairs rising on his arm. But it wasn't long before Jacob's hairs started to raise as well. While he was watching Roma and Remy talking to Rayn - or at least, while he was watching Remy _try _to talk to Rayn - he felt the air change again. There was something on it that alerted him...like sour lemon or lime.

"What is it?" He asked Sam, standing immediately. He noticed that almost everyone else did the same. Rayn stopped signing and paid attention to the crowd of suddenly tense party members. Roma and Remy seemed to follow her stare towards them.

"It's dangerous." Quil piped up from somewhere beside him. Jacob subconsciously started to loosen his tie. The smell...the lemon and lime was coming from all around them.

"It's least strong over there," Leah pointed towards the trees to Jacob's left. The fringe was closer to Rayn, Roma, and Remy than it was Rayn and he was upset by it. While he started putting two and two together, Jared spoke it.

"And if it doesn't have a smell when it's past, won't that mean-" he cut himself off, trying to focus all his senses on the thick line of trees beside the house.

"-it's coming from right there." Jacob finished, nodding his head. He felt a pull towards the bush and didn't notice as he started taking steps. He couldn't tell if he had passed Rayn, but knew that they must have been fast and determined steps because he heard a soft padding from behind him before feeling warm hands against his searing hot arm.

When he turned it was to see wide, worried aqua eyes. He was shocked to remember that she was with him outside and that she may currently be in danger.

"Rayn, I need you to go." She shook her head instantly, it was reverent.

'_Don't go._' She mouthed, she repeated it multiple times before he shook his own head. He took her shoulders, wincing lightly when he felt the rough skin of her scar under his fingertips.

"Rayn, something's happening and I need you to take Roma and Remy inside. Can you do that for me?" She shook her head.

'_Please_.' She mouthed. She took his hand, her eyes wide and suddenly starting to water. He furrowed his eyebrows in confusion...why was she so upset?

"If this is about what happened earlier, I am sorry. I shouldn't have done anything and I know that you are upset with me, but this is something else. I have something that I need to take care of and I need you t-" he cut himself off when she wrapped her arms around his waist and squeezed herself against him, whimpering slightly into his ear. He wrapped his arms around her, kissing her on the top of her head. Relief, though not enough to make the shivers of tension in his body cease, flooded him. He suddenly felt like he was in one piece again now knowing that she wasn't upset with him.

A loud snarl came from behind Jacob's back. It was so loud and ferocious that he stopped breathing, holding onto Rayn while his eyes widened, looking at everyone who was looking with wide eyes and gaping mouths behind him. As he slowly turned around, he held Rayn - who was also wide eyed - behind him, his hands firmly on her shoulders to keep an eye on where she was.

He heard nothing but vicious snarls that reverberated through his body and made him shiver and his muscles tense. He felt the air around him heat up with fear. He could smell nothing, there was no smell of shallow soil, trampled grass, or ancient trees. It was what he saw which scared him.

A creature bigger than he as a wolf stood behind the thicket. It was large with ragged dark hair and a crouched position. The position which he would soon use to pounce. He was as big as a horse, with at least two hundred more pounds of muscle. Jacob could tell that the creature was not a bear. He could tell exactly what it was. It had a longer snout, bigger eyes and curlier hair, but it was clear that this creature was exactly what Jacob was...

...But at the same time it was not like them at all. This wolf was more than a wolf. It was far too big, it's muscles were bulging with energy. It's tail was whipping around furiously and it's ears were sitting flat against his head, but he could see they were more pointed. It was his eyes that were distracting: glowing yellow-green eyes. They flashed angrily against Jacob's own.

This wolf was _staring _at him.

"You're what we're scared of?" Jacob asked himself with a growl. One wolf against a small army of them. One wolf against eight wolves and eight vampires. And they were _scared?_

Rayn was gripping his arm as if she would claw her nails through his bone. He wanted to look back and tell her everything would be fine, but the wolf was not breaking eye contact with him to look at anyone else. Jacob did not want to look away and leave himself, or even worse leave _Rayn _an open target for him to lunge.

Jacob edged his arm away from Rayn's grip. His body had been itching to transform to fight this off for a long while and it was now time for him to give into his urges. He felt his muscles start to ripple with desire to turn, he saw his world start to shimmer as his body began to pop. He fell forward as his spine elongated and flattened. His body was wracked with tremors as his bones popped into more appropriate places and he formed into his own giant beast.

He heard the thoughts of others as soon as he hit the ground.

_What is it?_

_Why is it different?_

_What should we do?_

_How do we get rid of it?_

_Can we hear it?_

_Is it any more dangerous than us?_

_Should we kill it?_

Those who were wolves found themselves starting to move forward, Jacob not breaking eye contact with the creature, who was a good two feet larger than he. His yellow-green eyes were not portraying anything other than hatred. Rumbling started to echo within the packs chests to match the snarling of the beast in front of them before there was a white blur.

Rayn stood in front of the creature with her arms spread. She was about eight feet from the brush, looking at the wolves with big eyes.

"Jacob, _no._" She said boldly, her voice startling him. She hadn't spoken to him in days and when she said his name he always tended to shiver. But her voice was harsh and final. It was even lower than normal, her eyes were pleading but confident.

Jacob whined in response, watching the creature behind her for a moment before taking multiple steps forward so that she wouldn't get hurt, but she stomped her foot.

"Stay away from him." She growled, backing up towards the beast. Jacob's mind was racing, he didn't know what to do. With one swipe he could destroy her, with one swipe he could take out her torso, or take off her head, or give her...another scar? His breath hitched, he stopped whimpering.

Remy and Roma came from behind Jacob to stand beside Rayn on either side. They did not look scared of anything, they looked strong with stoic faces. Rayn shook her head.

"You can't hurt him," Rayn said again, tears filling her eyes as she held herself, purposely and noticeably caressing the scarring on her shoulder. A tear fell before she seemed to be able to continue. "You can't hurt him...it's Leo."

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**Well there you go! Almost 5,500 words later! Congratulations to those who got it right, I was wondering if I wasn't making it obvious enough or not. This is not the end yet, so get ready for the next instalment which will be coming up soon. So Leo isn't dead...in fact, he's standing right in front of them! What will happen next? **

**I'll give you a hint: the more you review, the sooner you'll know!**

**--Egypt**


	17. Lemon Lime

**Hey Guys...thank you for all the reviews! Well, I've had one hell of a week so I am excited to give this to you as soon as I am...it is a bit shorter than normal because I want to have the next chapter a very long detailed one but this one gives you those extra few answers that I think you all wanted to know. I hope you enjoy it and to the reviewers: **VampireNick009, winchesterxgirl, Angel of the Night Watchers, luvableKnegi, Pinkshirt, Aleksiina, J., **and **luvJakey4E**...this is for you! Thank you so much!!!**

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Jacob's eyes were suddenly watery with frustration. His mind was reeling with questions and voices that were not his own who were appalled with the news. Leah was hysterical, Sam was trying to calm her down. That was enough without the sharp, bright thoughts of Seth and Embry, who seemed to be in shock. There were questions whizzing through the space between the packs minds from everyone else.

Leo. Leo...Talon? Leo Talon her brother? Leo - _dead _Leo? Wasn't Leo dead?

Jacob's mind was reeling, he ground his claws in the ground. He tried to keep his eyes focused on the giant behind Rayn, but his eyes couldn't seem to leave her scared for long. She looked pale, terrified. Tears were filling her eyes, her hands were shaking nervously. Remy was calmly glaring at the others, Leah was indignantly furious with it. Roma was nervous too.

"It's...it's Leo." Rayn said again. "He's a _real _werewolf. But -but you can't hurt him. Jacob, I won't let you." Her voice broke in a sob. "I'm not going to let _him _hurt _you._"

Jacob felt himself barking in a sarcastic laugh. Him hurt Jacob? Him hurt the _pack _of wolves facing him? But his mind couldn't stay focused for long...there were so many signs.

Rayn's fear of wolves made sense now. Not because her brother had been murdered by one, but rather because he turned into one.

Why the houses targeted by his smell (or lack there of) were the ones with the werewolves, specifically the ones where her scent would be the strongest like with her cousins and at Emily and Sam's, where she had visited her first day. Around Forks where they had walked, around the Cullen's where he would have smelt his sister near a group of leeches...

The fact she refused to call Jacob a werewolf. Because she refused to think of _two _men in her life being werewolves.

The giant scarring on her shoulder. It was as red and vicious as Emily's. Maybe that was the pain he had really felt, a warning because it was made by a werewolf, not that it was because her pain was his pain.

And of course...why she never told anyone. Why she was so scared that she couldn't speak. Nothing that she had seen that night, as a child, would have been believed, would have made sense...

As Jacob pieced it together people were throwing in little memories which made sense. Little things which he had tried to ignore and was again trying to do as he looked at her, trying to show through his eyes that he was scared.

He was scared that she was standing with her back towards a beast, no matter who was behind the wild, angry eyes. His ears were still lying flat, he was still ready to pounce. Jacob took a step forward, whimpering. Rayn looked over to Remy, a silent conversation briefly took place before he nodded, looking over to Roma, repeating it, and having Roma take Rayn's place as Remy went behind her.

Rayn fell to her knees. She waited while Jacob felt the pull, the need to be in her arms. He took slow, meaningful steps towards her and when he was close enough she wrapped her arms around his thick neck. It sent immediate growls through Leo behind her. But Jacob could hardly pay attention, all he could smell was her Orchid shampoo...the smell of campfire and cinnamon...

"I tried to tell you, but you never wanted to hear." She told, pulling away as the tears finally overflowed from her giant eyes. "I _wanted _to tell you...I did. I really did. Jake, I did." She sobbed, the growls grew louder again as she again hugged him.

"Remy and Roma came to warn me that they'd seen him around my parents house. I came here because my parents had seen him and knew I was lying. I can't have you attack him...for a couple reasons," she sniffed loudly. "One: he's my brother. I don't know who would win the fight and I hope I never have to find out. Two: if he hurts you...if he _bites _you...you really _will _be a werewolf. You don't want that! It's so...limiting."

Jacob looked from her pleading eyes back to the monster, who was currently looking at Remy and it made Jacob wonder how they knew. Jacob growled, looking straight to Remy, trying to give Rayn the idea. She took multiple moments to try and realize what he was saying before exhaling loudly and nodding.

"Remy and Roma have known from the beginning..." She stood up going over and taking Remy's hand. A loud chorus of snarls came almost immediately from both Jacob and the beast known as Leo. Remy glared with his bright eyes towards them while Rayn choked up. She took her free hand and wiped away her tear tracks, her long nails lightly scratching her skin. Had it been less wet, she would have had the warning white marks where her nails hit.

Remy's chest heaved an elaborate, heavy sigh before he spoke. His words were laced with misery and shame, his face was drawn to a stoic strength.

"We know because I was the one who turned him into this." Leo's snarls were overwhelmingly loud, he had to nearly yell to be heard over them. "I didn't mean to do it, I don't even remember how it happened. All it takes is one bite."

"We come from a family of werewolves," Roma said softly. "That's how we knew what you Cullen's were. Vampires reek of bleach."

Jacob couldn't stop his mind from reeling. Remy and Roma were werewolves too...how could Rayn get herself mixed in with this? A family of werewolves for best friends, a werewolf brother, a group of wolf shifters for family and lovers...she was more prone to danger than even Bella!

"They don't get to decide when to morph," Rayn explained looking to Remy and noticeably squeezing his hand. Jacob tried to hold in the growl in his chest as he watched their entwined hands in fury. He was more a beast than Jacob and she still held his hand? She said she was scared of Jacob and yet she could hold the hand of the person who destroyed her brother? "They have to morph the four days of the full moon when it rises...ones like Leo can't turn back in the meantime. The Remy can because he was born with this..." She looked at Jacob with sad eyes, trying to show she was sorry. She took her hand out of Remy's, to which he gave a short exhale, and took two steps backward, towards her savage looking brother.

"I didn't mean for any of this to happen." She cried, tears filling her eyes again. "I want to keep you safe, Leo doesn't know what he's doing...he doesn't understand what he _can _do when he's like this." She turned to look behind her so that Jacob was forced to look at her back. He watched the muscles in her back as they contracted bitterly in large, deep breaths. She was muttering, too quiet for even Jacob to hear. He could see that everyone else was trying to listen too, but no one was able to make it out.

He was still trying to block out their thoughts which were reeling almost as much as his. All they could think is what were they to do? This monster was Rayn's brother, so they felt they couldn't hurt her by killing him. But this monster also had no control such as they did, and he could easily attack any of them. They could be turned into something like him...

"Remy," Roma said sharply, drawing everyone but Jacob's attention. "The moon's rising." Roma warned as she stepped away from Remy. She reached her hand out to grab Rayn but she avoided it, still gazing towards what was left of her big brother. "Rayn, come on. We need to get you away and keep Leo and Remy busy...so no one dies." She added lowly. Rayn looked over to her in a profile where Jacob could see wide, angry eyes. But they softened against Roma's own stern glare.

"Jacob," Rayn brought his attention back to her as she spun around to again face him. She was light on her feet, antsy he assumed. "If one of them bites any of you, you'll turn into _real _werewolves. No pack. No choices. No pleasure. Please, _please _take them away."

"No," Remy said instantly, looking at Jacob squarely. The shock of the statement made everyone look at him in doubt, why would he not _want _the wolves to be safe. He shook his head looking back to Jacob. "No. Don't go." He looked up to the sky, searching for the moon which had not yet risen. What time was it now, how long had this been going on? "When I turn...which will be soon," he added with a short hiss, "there are only two things I'll be able to think of. One is that I need to eliminate the competition..."

"Which is _you _Jacob! That's why you need to go!" Rayn burst in, but Jacob was too interested to run. Number two must have been more important. No one ever put the important one first.

"And number two, that I want Rayn." He looked to Jacob and narrowed his moss green eyes. "And to a werewolf, dead and alive are the same thing. We don't differentiate."

Jacob felt tremors run down his back. He heard the snarls ripping from his chest and could feel his enormous paws shifting weight in the dirt so that he could pounce on Remy, but Rayn held her hands up.

"Leo would never let him touch me!" She tired to fight, but Remy shook his head.

"Leo wants her too, and he _will _kill her! He was never taught how to control it, unborn werewolves never understand and all they do is kill." Remy bit back, making tears start running down his face.

"Jacob, he's right." A voice, that he had forgotten was there said softly. It was Edward, who was still standing behind the werewolves and listening to everything without adding either of his two cents. "Young werewolves are dangerous. They don't understand what they are when they are in this form. They don't know what they are capable of doing."

Everyone in the pack was telling him that it was his decision to make, that he could determine what was to be done. But he couldn't think about right and wrong. All he could do was gaze towards the girl in the aqua-white dress, who looked like a beautiful porcelain doll.

A porcelain doll that was about to be smashed into bits if someone touched her.

"Too late!" Roma said with wide eyes. "The moon's up." She grabbed Rayn's arm and ran towards Jacob, throwing her basically onto him out of fear. She gripped his neck, trying to hide her aqua eyes in his fur as she started hearing the screams.

As the moon rose and it's bright rays touched the green of Remy's eyes, Jacob was witness to a familiar and yet terrifying transformation. There were only a few differences to how Remy transformed in comparison to how he did. His bones still popped in and out, his pores sprouted attentive light brown hair, and his body grey to match the strength he possessed. But there were a few differences.

One of which was how much _bigger _Remy was than any wolf in the pack. Jacob was shocked to see that he wasn't quite as big as Leo, but in the muscle and height it was as if you pushed Jacob and Leah into one giant fierce beast and that was the size of him.

The second difference was how terrifying this transformation was. Jacob had watched his pack turn all the time but as he watched Remy do what he did so often, there was a hidden danger and maliciousness to his to it that not even Paul could have mastered if he had wanted to.

The third difference was in his eyes. No one in the pack had eyes which changed colour when they underwent the transformation from human to beast. It was something which made them identify with their human beings, that's what Sam had said. But as he watched Remy who was soon howling in pain, he saw that his eyes had gone from their disturbing moss green to a strange lemon-lime extract, much like Leo's strange mix between lemon and beige.

The new creatures eyes flashed in fury as he noticed everyone who was around him. There were too many people, he would have thought, and they all were people who had a chance against him with combined force. Jacob watched as his fur rose and he leaned on his hackles offensively, glaring towards all the creatures as a snarl ripped it's way from it's fangs.

"Jacob..."

Rayn's whisper immediately alerted the giant beast of her presence. His eyes flashed towards her hungrily, looking at her as if she was the gold metal of his life's work. Jacob held his ground as the werewolf Remy came toward Rayn, who was safely behind him. The beast walked blindly, not looking towards him at all as he went towards _her_.

As he started to get close, Jacob began to ready himself for the attack. He bent down, preparing to strike. He mentally warned the others to stay out of his way, that it was his fight. He told them to hold Rayn back and keep her safe...but he had no need to. There was a dark brown blur which stole the opportunity.

Jacob was shocked as he watched the two werewolves battle. They fought with all the intelligence of any other creature, or any other human. Ducking, swerving, dodging, and using strategy...and yet the way they did the manoeuvres were so vicious that it could only be wild beasts willing to tear each other in two for the joy of it.

"L-"

"Shh..." Jacob heard a sharp slap of what he could imagine to be Roma's hand over Rayn's mouth to muffle her words. He was thankful for it, he could only imagine what would happen if the attention was drawn back toward her and the two decided to work together to win her over.

_Should we interfere?_ Jared asked, to which Leah and Embry seemed to tremble at the idea. Seth felt nauseated. They all felt compelled to run away from the situation before they were forced to spill blood and at the same time they knew innocent blood would be spilt if they were to. Jacob felt himself shiver. Who's blood?

_Their blood. _Sam said firmly. _They are dangerous. They have provoked us first by breaking our borders._

_Meaning they're faster than we think..._ Jared thought begrudgingly.

_We know nothing about them. _Quil thought with a hesitance to how loudly he projected it. _We don't know how they fight._

_We don't need to. There are eight of us and two of them. _Paul growled. _Good odds._

_There are eight vamps willing to help too... _Seth trailed off, worried as he pictured blood and gore.

_And two innocent girls. _Embry growled.

_Who I won't let anything happen to. _Jacob growled back.

_And when Rayn draws attention to herself if you get hurt? Those _were_wolves are both on the hunt for her and you know it. _

_What if Bella gets thirsty? _Paul thought with a glare to the vampires. _I still don't know about them..._

_Any blood shed is dangerous towards them. _Sam argued.

_Rayn can't be a target- _Jacob thought worriedly. He found his thoughts being cut off.

"Don't worry about us, worry about _them._" Edward's voice chirped in. Next was a strange array of events.

A gasp came from Rayn as the fighting wolves came too close. Jacob couldn't help it as his body reared into action before his mind could even comprehend what he was doing. With four large, fast bounds he found himself in front of Rayn where he grabbed the hem off her dress. He began to tug, until she was near his head where he started pushing her with his body away from the brawl. She tried to fight, her feet and slow reactions betraying her to him so that she couldn't get away from his protective shoulder.

Jacob heard yelling, there was someone shouting his name, but he couldn't hear what it was over the growling. He couldn't hear over the werewolves trying to win their match. Rayn was screaming now, a high shrill pierce over the calling. Jacob was pulling...

_Jacob, help her! _

"_ROMA_!"

Jacob turned back towards where he had been towing Rayn away from. The ground was beginning to sop red as a werewolf, one which Jacob didn't care to notice was mauling the golden haired girl who was with her back on the ground.

Jacob gave one more harsh push against Rayn and heard her land with a soft thump on the ground. He figured that was good enough as he turned around.

He sprang.

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**So, as you may have noticed...there is a new story up. It's **one **of about **four **that I'm thinking of continuing. I will put chapter one of the others up in weeks to come and I would like to know which ones I should continue in whichever order. This next one is in my top two and is actually my most **recent **idea...I hope you enjoy it. Please review for this AND the other story...I hope you like it and I hope you keep sticking in for this one as well! PLEASE REVIEW! Thank you! **

**--Egypt**


	18. Battle

**So, I could give you all my reasons for why this wasn't out on time (and there were good ones, one of which was writers block over how to complete this chapter) but I figure that most of you aren't reading this anyway and don't really care now that I've updated again. I will, however, say that I **_am _**sorry that there was a delay, but I'm back now. **

**Thank you to **winchesterxgirl**, **Twit-Tard**, **VampireNick009**, **Angel of the Night Watchers**, **Living Masquerade**,** **and **Pinky** for reviewing. This epicly difficult chapter to write is for you!**

**I am not Stephanie Meyer, if I were, you would be reading this in a giant book called something cool like "Nightfall" in place of Breaking Dawn...**

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Jacob wasn't surprised when it felt like he was trying to move a boulder as he shoved his front paws into one of the beasts shoulders. He managed to budge it a tad before the neck strangely quirked itself to look at him, sending lemon glares and cold shivers tremoring down his spine. Blood dripped from it's china plate paw, it's teeth shone long and sharp in the moonlight as his lip pulled back to growl towards Jacob, who suddenly felt very small.

_Jake, get out of there!_

_Come on let's help him!_

A strange gurgle was heard from deep within Roma's chest as she coughed and spluttered, blood splattering her face like a decorative paint.

"Jacob, _no_!" Rayn's voice screamed, making the two werewolves look back to her as she tried to run forward. Luckily she was held back by Seth, who snarled as his jaws snapped viciously towards the giants. Jacob found himself barking while trying to divert their attention, but the beasts shoulder blades were hunched. Their bodies were straight and targeted for what was hidden behind the sand coloured shape shifter.

_Seth, take her and run. _Leah's thoughts were picturing gruesome images of her brother hanging limp from the werewolves mouths. It made Seth's legs buckle as he widened his stance, finding growls ripping through him.

_I'm not fast enough, they'll catch me. _Seth thought miserably, trying to make lame calculations over how far he could get Rayn before the wolves caught him...could he reach and get her all the way to Jacob, or would he fall short before they pounced?

The werewolves stalked forward, their green eyes focused on their prey. Why was this happening to Rayn? Why did these horrible things always surround him? But he didn't have time for any sort of pity, because a huge, booming sound distracted him.

"TIMBER!" In a white blur one of the werewolves was on it's side. It was snarling what must have been the werewolf equivalent of profanities up to a beaming Emmett who was smiling as if this was Christmas morning. He had his knee down between the werewolf's shoulder blades, and by his colouring and the small amount of blood on his paws, Jacob could now see that it was Remy.

Leo, however was not being stopped. He stalked closer with his bloody fur leaving watery stains on the grass behind him.

"Leo, Leo you don't have to hurt anyone." Rayn was saying through tears, trying to get in touch with whatever human Leo had left in him. But by the crimson covering him, Jacob could only imagine there wasn't very much left. "I won't let them hurt you if you leave us alone. You can come back for me, you don't always have to see me when you're like this! I _want _to see you as _you_!"

_Seth! Move her! _Sam thought quickly as he ran and tackled the Leo with his shoulder which dislocated with a loud crack almost immediately. But the thoughts running through Sam's mind weren't about how it was the wolf that needed to be distracted. Even as the werewolf looked towards the newest problem in interest.

"Bella, Jasper, stop!" The twinkly vampire screamed as she tried to hold back the two black-eyed vampires. Alice looked petrified as she held herself in front of them, Edward holding Bella's shoulders as all the other vampires save Emmett tried to hold the two back.

_How much stronger can they be that it takes all of them to hold her back? _Paul asked moodily as he ran forward toward Emmett. _How pathetic are you?_

_She's a newborn, _Jacob thought absently to himself as he went over to help Sam. _She's the strongest of all of them._

_Emmett, kill him! _Leah was growling, but Emmett of course didn't understand. She was growling and snarling in their own language while Emmett held the thrashing werewolf down.

Leo was getting up, Rayn was still crying and holding Roma, trying to look between the dangers...

Two targeted werewolves vs. two thirsty vampires. All aimed toward her and Roma.

_Who the hell am I supposed to protect her from?! _Jacob raged, helping Sam stand. With a few mumbles of pain and thanks, he looked up towards Leo who was circling around, watching the vampires in interest.

_They all want her. Jake this isn't working._

_How do we help her, guys? We're the only safe ones here. _Jacob thought.

_One of us needs to take Roma and one of us needs to take Rayn. _Jared thought as he ran forward to help Sam as he fell again.

_Rayn's not going to leave. _Jacob thought grumpily.

Make _her leave. _Leah thought as if it were the most obvious answer. _Roma needs to get to a doctor, we have one here. All we need to do is get Carlisle and her to where he can work on her._

_Who gets to leave?_

_I'm fastest. I'll do it. _Leah's claws were digging into the dirt in anticipation. She seemed excited to get to run as fast as she could, even if it meant that she was running with a bloody body on her back.

_I'll tail her. _Jared offered.

_Me too. _Seth thought automatically.

_I'm staying with Rayn. _Embry thought with a gaze to Jacob. _I'm not leaving her for a second. _Jacob just nodded, knowing that there was no way he could argue his way towards another conclusion. Of course he wouldn't leave his cousin, she was basically his sister.

_We'll stay with her. Leah, go grab Roma. I'll go see if they can sacrifice one of the vampires from holding the _other _vampires back. _Sam had used his authoritative, reverberating alpha voice, which made Leah kick it into high gear to grab the dying girl.

Jacob didn't wait to be with the pack to figure out what was happening next. He felt himself running towards Rayn, Roma, and Leah before he realized what he was doing. He also noticed that Embry was right behind him, not daring to miss a moment.

Rayn screamed enough to tear her throat and make her cough when Leah came and started manoeuvring Roma onto her back. It took Rayn about a minute before she decided to help her. All the while mumbling incoherently to herself. Once Roma was firmly placed on Leah's back, Leah gave one glance to Rayn and then sprang forward, running as fast as she could into the trees.

Jacob's attention was drawn to the vampires who watched the bloodied body go with hungry eyes. The sounds ripping through Bella's throat made him feel ill and made him unable to tear his eyes from her. She was manic, watching with fevered eyes as Roma's limp and reeking body disappeared into the bush, the blonde whirl following after her.

"I'm so scared." Rayn cried, throwing her arms around both he and Embry. Both their eyes looked back into her puffy, red ones which were striking and tropically clear as if she understood the meaning of life. Her eyes were almost as red as the blood that was smeared across the stomach of her dress, something the vampires hungrily seemed to have noticed.

Jacob felt a pain in his chest as her arms wrapped around his neck and all he could feel was the grief which ran through Embry. "If I would have told you none of this would have happened, but I never would have thought..."

"Jasper _stop_!" Rayn looked behind Jacob to the thirsty vampires.

"They really are vampires, aren't they?" She asked herself quietly. "And they want me too, don't they?"

_Was that what Remy told her, that day? _Embry asked Jacob with a flicker in his eye. Jacob rolled his eyes, realizing this was most likely right. But movement made his eyes snap over towards the bellow that Emmett let out. Remy had rolled on top of him, his paw against his throat. Remy was now very focused on Rayn, his eyes seeing through everything else.

Jacob pushed Rayn back, trying not to be distracted by her wide eyes and clenched fists. Embry was snarling as often as waves hit a shore line, Jacob was calm and focused. They watched as Remy came toward them slowly, Esme, Rosalie and Sam had appeared quickly in front of Rayn.

But things quickly became complicated. From behind them, another snarl was heard, even deeper then Sam's alpha command. When everyone looked back they saw the werewolf which had been hidden in the shrubbery now walking toward them from the other side, a strange smirk across his muzzle. His hair was raised, from his smirk drool was pooling on the ground beneath him, leaving strings of danger where he tread.

Jacob felt himself beginning to panic. He could hear everything too clearly.

Rayn was rightly starting to panic. He could hear the thoughts of the other wolves as they tried to figure out what to do. The thoughts of the wolves who had gone with Roma and were still running to try and get the smell of blood away from the hungry vamps. The hungry vamps who were trying to thrash their way through their family to get towards the blood over Rayn's torso. The Leo-wolf who was drooling at the image of the group. The Remy-wolf who was walking towards them with snarls ripping at his throat.

Too many threats. Too many dangers.

_We have to fight to kill. _He realized slowly, looking at Rayn who very well may have noticed the same thing. The werewolves would have to be taken out. Permanently. And if either blood-thirsty-vampire got in the way, so would they be.

Jacob let out the loudest howl he could, informing everyone of his intention whether they liked it or not. What surprised him were the responses he heard, such as from Embry, Sam, the werewolves...

Remy ran at him, he could hear the breath of Esme and Rosalie as they began to battle Leo. Jacob and Embry started to run right at Remy while he ran towards them. They met in the middle in a scurry of paws and rumbles.

While Jacob shoved with his shoulders Embry was flailing his paws towards Remy's face. Jacob bit Remy's hackles, making him cry out before he snapped back, grabbing fur but luckily not skin. As Remy pulled away, some of Jacob's hair was ripped out which made him whimper involuntarily, but as he was pulling away Remy's face was close enough that Jacob took his right paw and scratched at his eye. This left blood covering the ground underneath his muzzle.

Remy howled in pain, biting and flailing at whatever was closest to him. Embry soon joined his howl, falling backward as his front leg was wrenched out of Remy's jaw by the momentum. Jacob took the opportunity, since Embry had fallen back, to bite onto Remy's neck. As if he still had human hands he started to punch one of his legs, feeling and hearing a bone crush beneath the pressure.

Remy's large paw came and hit Jacob in the face, sending him reeling backward and into the ground. Mud splattered his vision, making him wipe at his eyes while he heard Remy recovering. He knew he needed another good bite on his neck and then add one paw. He could break his neck and _no _creature could survive that.

As he looked back towards the werewolf, he saw that he had successfully broken his front right leg. He was holding it up, but it was falling at an awkward angle. He must have actually severed the bone in half. Remy's angry lemon glare was trying to slice through him as he examined the damage. Other then the blood from getting his fur ripped off near his shoulder, he knew that he was relatively unscathed.

He looked towards Embry, who was basically rolling on the ground in pain where he couldn't make coherent thoughts to broadcast toward the rest of the pack. All he could think of was pain, liquid hot pain. It didn't make much sense to Jacob, what could have been so serious about a small wound on his arm to make him completely useless in the fight. But as he was about to go check on him, Remy seemed to challenge him with his beast-like roar.

Jacob was not about to ignore the challenge.

He walked towards Remy, finding himself panting out of a strange wave of exhaustion. He wanted the fight to end. He wanted to win and get it over with. But there was something which made him grow more tired, something like guilt where he realized that this was Rayn's best friend and how she had never felt the urge to kill him. So here he was, ready to kill him in a heartbeat.

Maybe this was all a territorial thing. Maybe Remy was normally not so vicious. Maybe it was only because there were other shape shifters which just happened to be close to the same form as him, other vampires which were mingling with them. Things which threatened him and had taken away the thing he loved most.

She just happened to love something else more than him. Something which was a threat.

Maybe, just maybe, this was all a big mistake.

_Don't go soft. _Leah snarled. _We have other things to worry about. Kill them both._

Shock registered through his body and made him stop walking. Kill them _both_? Must it really come to that? After all, these were normally good people. Stupid, territorial, vicious people; but still good. And people would be losing things. From what he could see, Roma wasn't doing very well. If she survives, will she really have to live without a twin? When Rayn makes it out of here - because she _would _- he told himself firmly, must she actually have to live without a brother, too? What would she do with herself this time? First she turned herself into a mute, what would she do when all was lost? Leo was Leah, Seth and Embry's cousin...how could they be so quick to kill him?

_He was already dead. _Leah muttered. _It's like he never came back at all. It's better to remember him how he was. Not like this._

But Jacob couldn't make himself keep walking. Waves of worry, pain and apprehension were too strong for him to comprehend the thought of fighting the beast in front of him. The beast who if you took the size and lemon eyes out of the equation was just like him.

_This isn't like killing a vampire, this is different. _Something was telling him, and he knew that people were hearing the thought because peoples thoughts were mingling in with his own. Some were with the idea, and some were against. He looked into the bright yellow eyes of Remy trying to ignore the challenge.

_This was different, _he told himself again. _He didn't want this, like we didn't want what we have. If he killed someone every time he turned it would be different, but something's telling me he doesn't._

_How do you know? _Paul asked with a scoff. _He certainly looks like he does this all the time. _Jake had to shake his head, with the next thought.

_He probably could have killed me twenty times. He hasn't killed me._

_**NO**__!_

The thought was out of place. The thought was underlined with such a feeling of shock and fear that Jacob knew at once it was not in relevance to the conversation taking place currently. And seconds later, with a new level of hysteria there were more screams. Loud, bloody screams. Both Jacob and Remy looked, it was inevitable. They knew who that scream belonged to. Jacob's eyes focused and Jacob whimpered immediately.

Sam was on the ground, his thoughts were lined with pain much like Embry's which felt almost like a strange type of static in Jacob's head. Esme had disappeared out of Jacob's sight lines. Rosalie was staring with wide eyes and a ready stance as Bella, suddenly looking very savage, was holding Rayn against her with her arm firmly around Rayn's neck, blood somehow starting to fall on the ground and cover her dress. There was so much of it that Jacob couldn't tell where it was coming from.

Jacob looked back to Remy, who apparently had already taken in the scene and was looking back at him. Something in his eyes looked scared and for the first time tonight, human. There was something in his gaze that made Jacob trust him for the first time since he arrived.

Both wolves ran for the vampire. Jacob tried to keep up to the giant strides of Remy, who did not wait for him. Remy tackled Bella, who swayed dangerously with Rayn under her arm before she stood upright again, baring her teeth and hissing towards him, tightening her grip on Rayn, who let out a sob of pain.

Jacob however, tried another root, running right for the gap in between Rayn and Bella's legs, trying to seperate the two of them. Bella must have been holding Rayn with all her might because it took from his shoulders to his hips before Bella loosened her grip enough for Jacob to lightly push Rayn away from her. She did not stand up, but instead stayed gasping for air on the ground.

Bella ran for Leo, who looked ready for the battle that was bound to happen once she reached him. The flurry of movements was fast, almost too fast for Jacob to see. There were flying fists, flailing paws, and biting from both sides. But it didn't seem to do anything. It was as if the two were an equal match who would keep fighting for all eternity, because it felt like an eternity of war.

"Finish him, Bella, come on!" Jasper growled, still being held back from joining in the fight and obliterating the werewolf. There was some strange snarl from Bella and a yell from Rayn.

"Don't finish him! That's my _brother_!" She yelled, her face red with emotion. She struggled to stand up on her own, even when Jacob came to help her up. She walked towards Jasper, Jacob holding her skirt in his teeth to hold her from getting any closer and having him pick up the scent of blood.

"That's a _werewolf_." He corrected, looking at her with black eyes. "He needs to be gotten rid of, or it will be like this every full moon."

"That's not true!" Rayn argued, suddenly more furious then sad. "Remy and Leo have never been this aggressive until _you _vampires and the shape shifters seemed to come around me, and they think that I'm their property. Of _course _they're going to get physical. That doesn't mean you need to _kill _them!"

"You don't know what you're talking about." Jasper hissed. "Kill him Bella!"

"I _do _know what I'm talking about! I've lived with this for over four years, so don't tell me I don't know what I'm talking about. They've never attacked me and who ever said they would tonight? Maybe they were trying to protect me, from people like _you_!" She tried to run a couple steps towards Leo and Bella who were still locked in combat, but Jacob held her back by her skirt, which seemed to tear a bit from the force behind her strides. She did not continue far, however.

"Bella stop this." Edward growled, trying to rip her off. "Bella, please, stop."

"Leo, stop fighting! Just run away, Leo!" Bella, distracted by her husband was soon the victim of a strange bite from Leo. The bite went down her arm as she dragged it from between his teeth, while he spit out the blood from his mouth. Jacob ran forward to hold Leo back now that she was injured, leaving Rayn to fend for herself. Bella was crying as Edward picked her up and took her immediately away from the area.

Jacob pounced on Leo, trying to keep him in one place...but now, he wasn't thrashing. Instead, he just laid there, looking up at Jacob with a level lemon glare. He couldn't help but be confused by the forced calmness resonating under Leo's skin, the human essence behind his eyes which had not been there only minutes before. Jacob let out a growl.

"He doesn't want to hurt anyone, Jacob...please..." Rayn whispered, walking up behind him, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Don't hurt them anymore. It's over." He wasn't sure if she was saying it to him, or the werewolf underneath his paw, but as Jacob released pressure and moved his paw, telling the pack to be ready, the wolf merely sat up and stayed put.

_Is it a trick?_

_Maybe she was right..._

_I think it's over._

"I don't feel well." Rayn groaned as she slumped over, closing her eyes and allowing her body to shut down now that everything was done.

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**That was the most difficult chapter I have ever written for any story. Honestly, it was so bloody difficult it's insane. I knew how I wanted it to end, but there was** _so much going on! _**Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it, expect another chapter, possibly two. Please, please, ****PLEASE ****review and read my other stories which I am also updating within the next week!! **

**Thank you all, remember to Review!**


	19. The Phrase

**Well, as you have seen I've updated once for each story. I thought it would hopefully make up for the wait you guys have experienced. The reason truly was my files were on my laptop which had a broken key and have had to be sent in, so I am doing this on my desktop in my Father's study...doesn't work as well and I couldn't get in as often. I know it's not really a legitimate reason, but I hope that you'll forgive me for at least long enough to read and review on these stories. **

**I am sorry that the last chapter was so hectic, I realize that it was probably the worst chapter I've written but I really wanted to catch the fact that **_**no one **_**knew what was happening, like it is in every battle. So while you guys were confused, I wanted you to realize that they were probably just as confused because of everything that was going on. I'm sorry if I didn't make it as clear as I had wanted to.**

**I would like to say that Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight and all it's original characters and ideas, but I own the plot of this story, as well as anything you do not recognize. Special thank you's go out to **VampireNick009**, **Twit-Tard**, **Shnitzel**, **winchesterxgirl**, **Angel of the Night Watchers**, **Baby-emo**, **Zutrep**, and **majda01**. This chapter goes out to you!**

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******* WARNING: THIS CHAPTER IS RATED M*******

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Rayn was finally sleeping. She was curled up against Jacob's chest, her breathing was slow and deep. Jacob couldn't stop playing with the curls on her head or rubbing his hands over her back, glad that she was finally getting some rest. He could not remember the last time she had slept for longer than twenty minutes, even the times that he found himself dozing off for a couple hours, when he woke up she would be continually running around the house, or he would wake up to hear her crying on the couch beside him while she held her head in her hands and broke down.

Roma was in the hospital from a 'bear attack'. She was in critical condition but had woken up from her coma that she had been in for nearly four days. Rayn had been at the hospital for a lot of that time, when she wasn't fussing over the others. When she had heard that Roma was awake she made Jacob drive her to the hospital and informed her of everything, making sure to tell her that she would be okay and that everything was fine now. No one had died.

Remy had been staying in the hospital most of the time. When he wasn't at the hospital he was in the house making sure that everyone else was okay. He refused to talk to anyone other than Rayn and when he did it was always through sign language. Jacob had not heard either Remy's voice at all and something told him that he wasn't even speaking behind his back.

Leo had confined himself to Embry's mothers room when she wasn't there. When she was home he would dash into the forest and stay out all hours until he felt safe to come back. Sometimes he wouldn't come back at all. This would always cause Rayn alarm because she felt as if he would run away from her again, something she was dead set on not letting happen.

Sam was healed almost the next day and was automatically trying to take control over the whole situation, but everyone was still moping and feeling bad about what had happened. Apparently he had spoken to the vampires who said that Bella and Edward had not been seen since Leo had bitten her arm, but Jasper was very upset with himself and has been trying to keep his distance though he wishes to apologize. Jacob didn't plan on giving him the chance.

He felt himself hold Rayn closer at the thought of her leaving him. She had been dragging him around because he refused to leave her even though she didn't like leaving the house. This was because there was one other person who she had been hovering over even though there was nothing she could do to help.

Embry had been bitten by Remy. By all rulings he should be turning into a werewolf, something that was supposed to happen as soon as they were bitten. But the fact Embry was already a shape shifter seemed to be helping his case. Since the shape shifters could heal so quickly, he hadn't transformed into a werewolf yet and they were beginning to wonder if his amazing immune system was fighting it off, hence why he had felt so sick for the five days it had been since he'd been hurt. Rayn could barely stand the idea that he would be turned into one of them and was constantly looking over him, blaming herself for this entire mess.

Carlisle had a theory that he would only transform the night of the full moon and at no other time. He thought that perhaps it was not so much him healing but the fact that he was already a wolf. He couldn't possibly know if he would lose contact with the pack in these times though, and that's the only thing that was really worrying anyone because that would mean that he couldn't be kept under control.

Jacob was mostly worried about Rayn and something told him it wasn't just that she was his imprint. Rayn had not spoken a word since that night and it didn't seem she had warmed up enough to even do it in front of him. Leah had thought that this could be her way of saying that she did not know how to talk about it yet, so he had not said anything to Rayn even though it was a worry that he would never hear her voice again.

She whimpered lightly into his chest and Jacob tightened his hold on her, squeezing his hand into her back. She shifted a little bit, out of discomfort or in reaction to whatever it was she was dreaming, he did not know. He couldn't help wondering what she was dreaming about. Just over a week ago she used to dream about the first time Leo transformed and hurt her. So what was it now? Had it changed at all? He couldn't help but let his eyes trail to her injured shoulder. The shirt she was wearing did not show a lot of the scarring which helped him until he decided to think of her newest wound. There was a deep wound in a strange place on her neck, under her jaw and before the crook of her neck. It wasn't ugly or entirely noticeable, but it would scar and was enough to make him grip her possessively.

Rayn sat up abruptly, her eyes flying wide open. Jacob was startled, releasing his arms from around her while her eyes darted around and tried to identify where she was. When her eyes focused and lost their gloss she stood, grabbing Jacob's warm arm before she stumbled as quickly as she could out of the door and into the room at the very end. She did not knock on the door as she barged into the room, looking wildly around for the person in it.

There, standing in front of the bed was Leo, his eyes almost as wide as hers except confusion shone through them. Rayn let go of Jacob's hand as she ran to him and wrapped her arms around him, instantly starting to cry. Jacob tried to hold back his annoyance, a little perturbed that she would hug the werewolf that hurt her instead of the wolf that loved her. He tried to reason that he was her brother and that it meant nothing more than the fact she missed and worried for him, but the same discomfort Jacob naturally had with Remy was shared with Leo. He wondered if he would ever get past it.

Leo did not look as Jacob thought he would. His hair was much longer than his own, falling in choppy layers down to his shoulders. His skin was darker than Rayn's or even Embry's with a red glow of almost being burnt from spending too much time in the sun. He was around the same height as Embry with the same body type as Seth, a little lankier than the rest of the wolves. His eyes were what showed he was Rayn's brother. They no longer held the lemon-lime flash which had made his spine tingle, nor were they were not the tropical blue that hers were. Instead they were a very light hazel, a paleness that separated them from the others.

Leo held his sister with confusion but his arms were firmly wrapped around her, as if he was just as afraid of her leaving as she was afraid of him doing the same. She wasn't really making any sound but Jacob could tell that she was crying. His hazel eyes met Jacob's briefly, almost telling him to go away...but he couldn't make himself leave. All his instincts told him that the boy was dangerous and his job was to protect Rayn. And he finally knew what from.

"I'm still here, it's fine." Leo's voice was hushed, a little higher than Jacob would have expected it but at the same time much more rough. From what he had gathered, Leo had been living in the wilderness for most of the time since he had initially transformed. He was rugged and wild looking still, but they had hoped to change that by reintroducing him to human life. Slowly.

Leo looked back to Jacob, looking for help with the situation. Leo had fully accepted that his sister had been imprinted on, even if it took him a long time to fully understand what all the term meant. There was still a tenseness between them because of what was in their blood, shape shifter verses werewolf, but they had come to a strange understanding that when something was wrong, or when Leo didn't know what to do he would turn to Jacob. Since he seemed to be the only decent and normal person that would give him the time of day in a civil way.

"Rayn, you should get more sleep. It was a nightmare, but you _really _need to sleep." Jacob pleaded, taking a couple steps forward. It seemed that both he and Leo were surprised with how quickly she turned around to look at him, holding out her arms like a child. It was like she was going from one parent to another, pleading someone to hold her and comfort her. His eyes quickly flashed to her brothers, trying to portray some sort of '_excuse me as I steal your sister_' glare.

Jacob scooped Rayn into his arms, lifting her off the ground as she wrapped her slender arms around his neck. He had noticed this about her a couple times, this childish need for devotion, but since the unravelling of the other night when she wasn't trying to be a motherly figure and take care of everyone it seemed she was in need of much more affection. He lifted her up and kissed her cheek softly, watching as her eyes closed to fully immerse herself in the feeling.

"Let's get you to bed, alright?" He whispered in her ear. She nodded into his neck, wrapping her legs around him. He tried not to let the many sexual images which started playing through his mind cloud his thoughts. Looking to Leo who was trying to avoid the sight of his sisters legs being wrapped around a man's body. Jacob gave an acknowledging nod towards him before receiving a dismissive wave in return and heading back out the way they came.

He gently lowered her to the bed where she flattened her back against the wall, wordlessly inviting him to join her. And though neither would say it aloud, they both knew that if he wouldn't lie down, she wouldn't have slept. He slowly climbed into the bed beside her. His insides swelled because of how quick she was to cling to him. The nails on her left hand danced in circles on his chest and sent shivers down his spine.

Jacob couldn't help but take multiple minutes of this before he decided that he needed to talk to her, even if she wouldn't talk back. He turned on his side, the bed suddenly having much more room. Rayn's eyes screamed discontent over the change and she met his eyes to show her displeasure.

"When are you going to talk to me?" He knew that it didn't come out the way that he wanted it to. It sounded frustrated and exhausted which was what he felt, but not how he wanted to push the question onto her shoulders. She blinked her eyes multiple times, trying to take in the question. Jacob watched the emotions that flew through them, trying to understand what she was thinking.

She shook her head from side to side.

"Is it the situation, or is it me? Is Leah right, is this just how you're coping with things?" He asked quickly, "I mean, I get that you need your time. But I want you to have someone to talk to. I hate waking up and seeing you cry."

She nodded her head slowly and though he didn't know what it meant the fact that it was more positive then negative made him feel slightly better.

"How can I help? How can I make it better?" He asked, taking his hand and putting her hair, which was not remotely in her face, behind her ear. She grabbed his hand as he was pulling it away, her small hand feeling cool against his own heated skin. She placed his hand very gently on her cheek, it took up a vast majority of the side of her face, and she seemed to enjoy that. She closed her eyes while she enjoyed the feeling, her skin soaking in the feel of his.

He looked at her face, more serene then it had been for days, and found himself drawn to it. He kissed the top of her head, smelling campfire and orchid. But he found that wasn't enough and he lowered his lips to kiss her forehead which was slightly lined with sweat. He smiled, now smelling a natural vanilla and cinnamon-like smell and lowered his aim to her nose. He heard her sigh happily and he moved his hand just so he could kiss that cheek, which was tight as she tried to restrain a smile. Her eyes were tightly closed and a rose tint had started to stain her cheeks.

With a confident grin firmly plastered on his face he waited for her eyes to open, knowing where he should have been kissing next. It didn't take long before her eyes opened, wanting to know why he was halting. Her tropical eyes caught hold of his own dark chocolate and he heard her inhale sharply. He tried to keep his grin from widening as he leaned forward slowly, watching her eyes flutter closed again before he touched his lips to hers.

They were soft and moist, her mouth was hesitant to explore his own for a single moment before she started reacting in a way that Jacob had not been expecting. Suddenly she was passionate, desperate, her lips moving in a silent plea to feel his own. Her right hand, though slightly caught under her body, came up to his face, caressing his cheek just to feel his skin. Her left hand was on his side near his ribs and she was moving her fingers around possessively as she lightly scratched his skin. He couldn't help as his own lips became more aggressive, his hands began to wander over her skin, wanting to feel as much of her skin as possible.

He moved to be slightly more on top of her and in response she moved onto her back so he was pressing a little weight against her chest and could feel each curve of her body underneath him. With both her hands now free she was gripping his hair and scratching strange designs of want on his back. His spine tingled, he felt a rush and tremor, this much excitement usually meaning something different to him. Her right leg came up and massaged his side gently as he shook with lust.

A groan came from deep within his chest, resonating like it had a lot of room to reverberate. In reaction, her back arched against his body, making him groan again and making his hand hold her in that arched position so she was pressed as firmly as she could be against him. Jacob's other hand slipped under her shirt, removing the fabric from her skin. He parted their lips as he pulled it over her head, she did not say a word of complaint nor look at all against the idea. In fact, as soon as the shirt was off she pulled his face back to her own, her legs squeezing against his ribs.

Rayn's teeth were nibbling on his lips, her tongue was circling around his mouth with each movement and nip so graceful that it was like a dance. Her hands were now both against his face, cooling him from the heat he knew he must now be radiating off of him. His hand now slipped off one of Rayn's bra straps and as if to prove that she didn't mind she removed the other. It was a quick snap and a bit of a fumble before her bra was off.

Jacob could not appreciate the feel of her bare torso against his enough. His hands roamed, his mouth kissed and nipped at each part of her exposed flesh making her gasp and unsuccessfully try to hold back moans of pleasure. As he was taking particular care of her breasts, she sat up slowly her hands walking themselves up to make both of them sit up straight.

Their mouths reunited with a strange loss of aggression but with more passion and filled with care. He pulled her hips towards his, dragging her from where she sat to be sat on top of him. He knew what she could now feel, but she didn't seem to disapprove that greatly as her hips slightly ground themselves into his lap. The sound of denim against denim frustrated him, he found himself taking his hands from on her shoulders and dragging them down her skin. He let them tease her breasts, count each of her ribs, feel her tight and thin stomach, and he felt his fingers dip under the waistband of her jeans.

With a small gasp she tore her lips away from his, a slow realization dawning her as she realized what that was a signal for. She panted heavily, trying to catch her breath and her thoughts. She looked down to his hands, which had frozen themselves just centimetres under her jeans.

"Rayn, we don't - I mean, it's really early t - we don't need to." He finished lamely, his hands travelling up to rest on her love handles. She inhaled slowly, severely into her chest. When she opened her eyes they flashed to him, lust coloured all the way through them. This time she walked her hands forward, making Jacob lean back into the bed, her legs straddled him, her hair fell in curtains as if her face were something that should be put on display.

Her eyes were that strange clouded tropical aqua as she sat up and slid her hands down her torso to the waistband of her jeans. She took her time to undo the button and slowly pull down the short zipper. She placed her delicate fingers under the band of her jeans as Jacob had done, he noticed the difference in how it looked briefly before she started to pull them down her hips, exposing more smooth cappuccino skin.

Jacob felt his breath come out more ragged as he looked up to see the beauty before him. Even her scars seemed to fit in with the vision he saw above him as he looked up to see her now only left in her white underwear. She hunched her shoulders like it was a strange isolation before she sunk onto the blankets beside him and something told him it was because she was shy. Jacob looked deeply into her eyes, testing the water as he started undoing his own cut off jeans. Her eyes quickly glanced down at where his hands were fiddling and soon he was sliding them off. She bit her lip while looking into his eyes, obviously a little uncomfortable with the situation.

He could feel how warm the room was and knew it was probably because of him. He was not wearing underwear like Rayn was, it was something that usually was more meddlesome than helpful just like shirts and shoes. He lay in front of her completely aware that his bare body was up for her inspection. He looked at her own body, trying to find a flaw in it and to him she couldn't have looked more perfect. Her scars seemed so fitting into who he knew she was, her hair was tousled and her eyes filled with longing.

She took her own hands and gently slid off her underwear, throwing it on the ground in the pile of clothes that had quickly gathered there. Self consciously she hid what there was to see by crossing her leg over, making her body look that much more enticing. Jacob ran his hand from her knee all the way up to her neck before he held her face in place and kissed her. Her urgency betrayed his passion and he rolled over on top of her, looking at her tropical eyes hastily.

"Is-is this okay?" He wanted to beg for her to say yes, for her to tell him how much she needed it, for her to beg _him. _In response to his question she pulled him down slightly so that she could reach his face and kissed him.

Jacob couldn't wait any longer. Dipping down he positioned himself in front of where he wanted to be most, looking into her eyes once more before he pushed his hips forward. Rayn let out a guttural sound that sounded like a choked sob and moan at once.

The feelings that washed over him could have made his eyes roll back in his head. She was even warmer then he was, she was moist and wrapped around him with a swollen elasticity that made shivers run up and down his body. Her back was arching towards him, giving him as much room as she could. Her face was bent into a look of pain and it made him pause in his actions. When he started to pull himself backwards, she let out a moan. It was like music to his ears, a sound so beautiful that he wanted to hear it again. He pushed himself back inside of her, her hips bucked against him pushing him deeper and he let out a growl that had been building in his chest.

He started to go faster, her face was starting to lose the look of pain and was beginning to look as if she was immersed in ecstasy. With each thrust the pressure that was building inside of his body seemed to multiply. It was growing at an exponential rate as each nerve became stimulated and sensitive, feeling each moan, each thrust, and each movement.

"Oh, Rayn," He moaned, faltering on how he was holding himself over her and falling a little more. Their hips were bucking wildly and he felt the pressure become overwhelming. "Rayn!" He growled, feeling a wave of euphoria overwhelm him. He felt walls close around him, they caved in and imploded on themselves making the pressure release and make both of them yell out.

Jacob fell to the side, making sure not to crush her beneath him as they panted. It took less than two seconds before they twisted into each other, his arms cradling her. Her leg curved around his own and her head went into the crook of his neck. Her fingers drew obscure designs across his middle.

"Rayn that was..." he tried to find the perfect word. "...Magical." He chuckled at his own joke and could feel that she was giggling too. He pulled her closer to him so he could kiss her head, looking down at her. "Did I hurt you?"

She shook her head, biting her lip and looking away from his eyes. They sat there, dwelling over what had happened for a long time. Neither one felt the need to draw attention to themselves as their breathing was comforting enough. They lay there in each others arms, feeling the warmth of one another and enjoying the sensation of skin on skin. Jacob listened to Rayn's breathing which was starting to grow deeper and come at a more constant rate. He knew this was a sign that she was starting to fall asleep, but as he looked down and into her eyes, she seemed to be trying to stay awake for him.

"You should sleep." Jacob whispered softly, squeezing his arm and her torso a bit. She nodded, knowing that he was right and snuggled even closer into him. He sighed, happy that she was cooling him down with her normal body temperature.

"I'm in love with you, Jacob." The words took his breath away, his eyes widened slightly as he looked into her eyes, trying to judge what would make her say it. Was it the fact that they had just had sex? Or was it because she was drowsy? Or...did she say it because she just wanted to say it? What was the answer he actually wanted to hear? Jacob slowly realized that he didn't care _why _she had said it at all. A large smile lit up his face, making her smile lightly too.

"I'm in love with you Rayn. My Rayn." He added. She smiled, lowering her eyes and nodding into her chest. The designs she continued drawing on his chest didn't last long as she fell into a deep sleep, finally safe enough to accept herself in the world. He soon followed after her, finally feeling ready enough to accept what the world had for him to protect.

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**Well, I hope you all enjoyed it. Please Review! It took me so long to write this because I am not normally used to writing sex scenes, but I have to get used to writing them for **_Forgetting Franki _**and **_Sickening_**...hint, hint. Please read them, this series is ending probably next chapter if not TWO chapters from now, so you need to get into some other story...why not try mine?**

**I hope you enjoyed and please:**

Review**, **_Review_**, **_**Review**_**, Review!**

**--Egypt**


	20. Heart To Heart

**So I hope my roomates don't hate me for writing so late at night, but I'm writing all the way from University! YAY!**

**So I know that this chapter is only 3559 words, which is shorter than I usually write, but it has a lot of meaning behind it. This is the last chapter before the epilogue. This story is almost over :( On that note, if you have not read my other stories I suggest you do so. Now that I have started them, I realize they are much better ideas then this one (especially **_Forgetting Franki _**which is my favourite). **

**Special thank you's go out to **VampireNick009**, **Twit-Tard**, **beinginfinate**, **Davii-Hime**, **XoJonasLoveroX** and **Angel of the Night Watchers** for their reviews. Now that you know this is so close to being over doesn't it make you want to review? Because this chapter is dedicated to them, thank you so much.**

**I do not own Twilight, nor any of it's characters or themes. I do, however own the plot of this story and my own unique characters.**

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Jacob was sitting on the edge of Embry's porch. The wood underneath him was bending awkwardly because of how weak it already was, moulding to him in a way that wood shouldn't. He was staring out at the moon, it was a beautiful half moon now, but Jacob was trying to do the math on exactly how many days he had before it would become full and all hell would once again ensue. Would this really happen 13 times a year?

He had left Rayn sleeping on the bed. She had been getting a well needed rest and had been doing so for near 9 hours. Though he had tried to stay as long as he could, his mind was racing and the heat that their bodies were making in the bedroom was too much for him to bear. He had come out to get fresh air but now found himself immersed in the thought of what would happen in just over a week.

"You got her to sleep, then?" Leo's voice rang from behind him. He came down and sat to his right side, looking up at the moon which set his hazel eyes to a strange gold which was strangely more vibrant then the Cullen's. Jacob slung his hands around his knees, holding them as he tried to get comfortable. He knew this would be a long conversation.

"Yeah, she's been asleep since two." He nodded, looking over to Leo with narrowed eyes. "Hasn't woken up from a nightmare yet, anyway."

"Well, that's good." He said simply. Looking down to his hands. "Listen, I wanted to say that I-"

"If you're about to apologize, forget it." Jacob said sternly. Leo nodded his head slowly, keeping his eyes downcast. "Do you remember doing what you did?" Jacob asked with a hard time getting out his words. Leo's eyes hardened, his gaze suddenly becoming angry, his jaw tightening.

"Yeah. I remember." He said quickly.

"Do you remember _why_?" He asked when he realized that he wasn't going to get the detailed answer he had been hoping for. Leo took a deep breath, leaning back on his hands as he again took to staring at the moon. His mouth was twitching slightly as he tried to translate his thoughts into words.

"Not really." He winced before he corrected himself. "I mean I _do_, but it doesn't make sense to anyone's brain that isn't mine."

"Well, try to explain anyway. In case you didn't notice, I'm a lot more like you than you probably thought." Leo let out a bitter snort, it was more like a scoff than anything else. Jacob was reminded of how he had acted when he found out he was a wer-shapeshifter and drew a parallel between the two of them. But the parallel that currently joined them was so much more strong. Jacob found himself looking over his shoulder towards the bedroom, wondering how much sleep Rayn needed and how much she would actually get.

Leo seemed to be having a very difficult time getting out his words. Every time it looked like he was about to say something he would change his mind and stay silent. It eerily reminded him of his sister.

"She tried to chase after you and Rayn," he said slowly. "I don't know. I saw her as a threat...I saw everyone as a threat. To Rayn. That's all that shit was, me trying to protect my sister. I just wanted her away...but I couldn't control my actions, it was like a wolf took over for the protecting while I just sat back and took it all in. My emotions are what drove the wolf, but the wolf controlled my actions...does that make sense?"

_Did _that make sense? Of course it made sense. Jacob thought of all the times he had accidentally turned into the wolf because his human emotions couldn't control themselves and then he thought back to how all he could do was run. How he could run away from his problems, completely delve himself into the mind of a wolf before he found he couldn't turn back into a human.

"Yeah, I get it." Jacob concluded. "You're basically like us," he thought aloud. "Only difference is, we can turn whenever we want and when we do, we're more human than wolf. You're more wolf than human."

"I don't feel human even now. I don't know if I ever will again." Leo's voice was gruff and Jacob nodded lightly, not quite sure how to respond but somehow knowing that he was probably right.

"What happened that day?" Jacob found himself asking. "That day that everyone thought Rayn saw you die." Leo closed his eyes from what appeared to be pain of the memory. His breathing became a bit more laboured and his head shook as if trying to get the memories out.

"It was the day after the full moon. The day before I found a dead bird, half eaten by something or other on the ground in the forest. When I told Rayn all she could talk about was going back to see if there was a nest with eggs, she didn't want the babies to die." It seemed like something Rayn would do. Something that caring and compassionate. He briefly wondered if they had ever found the nest and what Rayn would have done with it if some disaster hadn't struck to interrupt it.

"Me and Rayn went trekking in the forest, you know right behind the highway. She kept telling me that she was scared so I'd just walk faster so we could get out of there for her sake. I remember thinking it was weird she was scared, Rayn loved hiking. I guessed she sensed something that I didn't. Well, when we got to the nest we didn't find birds. We found Remy.

"He was a wolf then, so I mean, we didn't _know _it was Remy. All we saw was this giant light brown wolf with blood on it's muzzle. I heard someone to the side so I did what came first: grabbed Rayn and tried to run for it. It was stupid. I didn't know that I was running towards Roma. He took that I had grabbed Rayn and was running towards Roma as...a threat." He finished, replaying his words of what he had thought was a threat towards Rayn just however many nights before.

"And he attacked you." Jacob concluded, it was obvious. That had to have been what happened or how would he have become a werewolf? Leo nodded sullenly.

"Yeah. He grabbed me by my arm that didn't have Rayn and dragged me over to where he could get a better hold on me. But he bit me first." His voice, if possible, darkened more. His eyes shone with an intensity that made even Jacob squirm.

"So...did he just leave you for dead? Is that what happened?" But of course it wasn't, it couldn't have been that simple. How had Rayn gotten scarred?

"No. He didn't really get to attack me much. One bite. It was a night where us non-born wolves _have _to turn...so I turned." A shiver rolled down Jacob's spine, his own instinct to turn. He mustn't forget that Leo was dangerous. An enemy. Even if he was Rayn's brother. This wolf had the capability to kill or infect the whole reservation. Plus, he had already hurt Rayn once, Jacob reminded himself. What's to say he couldn't do it again?

"You attacked Rayn."

"I did not!" Leo said with such revulsion that it was as if he were vomiting. "She ran towards me once Remy realized what was about to happen and backed away. She thought she was going to help me, but I turned and she just happened to be in the way. I couldn't control myself the first shift, everything hurt. I was standing up. When I fell forward onto all fours my paw got her.

"I would _never _hurt Rayn. Never. She's my sister, I'm supposed to look after her. I've done a shit-ass job, but I have _never _hurt her."

Suddenly, there was a sense of guilt deep within his gut. Rayn hadn't been lying at all when she had said Leo would never hurt her. Leo wasn't a bad guy. He was just someone who couldn't control himself. Someone who had been cursed with something just as innocently as Jacob himself had been cursed.

"Do you regret it?" Jacob asked quietly. Leo was confused by the question.

"Regret what? Becoming a werewolf?" He scoffed as if it were an obvious answer, but Jacob shook his head, readjusting his sitting position by placing one hand down to balance himself, the other left dangling off his knee.

"Running away. Not getting help. Leaving Rayn alone." Leo's chest expanded dramatically, so dramatically that Jacob would have never thought his chest could be so large. When he exhaled Jake couldn't help but notice that it still looked big and muscular.

"I tried to come back for her so many times." Leo sighed, moving so he was facing Jacob and leaning against the banister. He hit his head against the wood and Jacob could have sworn the weak wood made the house shake from the impact.

"Tried?"

"I couldn't control it, the wolf. It's not like what Rayn told me about _you. _I don't get the luxury of having a pack to help me, being able to change when I want, being able to think as I want..." He looked up at the roof of the porch. "It's almost as if I literally _became _a wolf. Not just in body every now and then, as in, I couldn't be human. Even now, it's hard. Everything is primal instinct. Every movement shows me something that I never would have noticed, every scent makes me freak out..."

"So...you're a wolf even when you're a man?" Jacob asked, a little stupidly. Leo shrugged his shoulders dramatically.

"I guess." He scratched his nose, nervously. "I almost attacked so many times." Jacob went cold and rigid.

"Attacked who?"

"My parents." He said as if it were obvious. Jacob found himself relaxing. "The doctors. The therapists. The stupid people in our stupid little town who would say that my sister was -" he stopped, not wanting to continue. He shook his head from side to side again, as if to rid himself of the memory like it were a bee. "She couldn't do anything. She was in so much pain, Mom and Dad would...would _hurt _her when she couldn't talk. Then I'd hear her cry in her room...and I knew. I knew that it was my fault her voice was gone."

"She was really scared for you." Jacob said lowly, he looked up to the moon. "But never _of _you."

"I know. She's stupid that way, she never knows what's good for her." Jacob smiled briefly, captivated by the image in his minds eye. The image of he and Rayn holding hands, knowing that he _was _good for her. He was here to protect her. From him. From Remy. From all those people who would try to hurt her.

"She's a smart girl." Jacob smiled. "She'll always figure out the best way." Leo's eyes bore into Jacob's profile and Jacob was having a really hard time not to return the glare. When he looked out of the corner of his eye, however, he noticed it wasn't a glare but rather an examination. Leo slowly nodded his head.

"You really love her, don't you?"

The question threw Jacob off guard, but he knew exactly what to say.

"How could I not?" He asked back. Leo shook his head, looking away as if it were not only a sore subject, but a sour one.

"So this imprinting thing... Did she ever have any choice?" Leo asked lowly and Jacob knew that how he answered this question had to be very clear and precise because he was on uneven ground.

"She got to choose how she wanted me in her life. I made it clear that I would be whatever she wanted me to be. She wanted to love me."

"So you'd never hurt her? You think _you _won't eventually lose control and morph and hurt her?" The anger in his voice made the hair on Jacob's arms stand. He knew the question was more of an inner-self hate that Leo had battling within him, probably at all times, but it made Jacob frown.

"I couldn't morph around her by accident if I tried." Leo raised his eyebrows, waiting for him to continue. "The only way we shift is when we want to, or when we're really mad...or scared...or-well, no. Mostly mad. But when Rayn's around, I can't be mad. She knows exactly how to calm me down...she's like the antidote for all this."

"Then you understand why I have to leave."

The question made Jacob jump a bit and look to Leo with wide, disbelieving eyes. Finally after years of being away from his sister he was just going to give up on her? He couldn't hurt anyone now that the pack knew exactly what was going on and all that little additional information they hadn't known however many weeks ago. So why did he want to leave? Why when he could finally make another human life, learn to live like he once had? He was about to throw everything Rayn had worked for away.

"Why?" Was all Jacob could choke out. Leo let out a short, breathless laugh.

"I'm not like you. I can't live like you. I'm not the normal teenage boy who I used to be, and I'm not just a random man who can turn into a wolf." Leo shook his head to emphasize his point. "No. I'm an animal now. I can't live ignoring all the feelings I get when I'm around you, or when Rayn is around you. How much I want to hurt you, take you down, make you know you're beneath me." Jacob raised his eyebrows, but Leo just shrugged.

"So you're going to call it quits and run away? From your _sister_? The only one who has shown you any fucking sympathy or humanity. You're going to leave Rayn alone again." He reminded him with a growl. Leo shook his head.

"No I'm not. I'm leaving her with _you_." There was a moment of Jacob's shock, how it was as if he had just been given the 'okay' by the family. The acceptance to be in her life. It was as if he had just been given her for real.

"And why would you do that?" Jacob asked suspiciously, Leo grinned.

"Because, you're one of the only ones who stand a chance if I come looking for her and her asshole boyfriend again." Jacob brushed off the insult as Leo continued. "Honestly, I came because I didn't think Rayn was safe. I didn't think she knew what she was getting into. I didn't want her to get hurt again. But now that I see that she's in _love..._" He paused, thinking of his words carefully. "Now that I see what she has, I know if I'm here, I will take it away."

"Oh really?" He asked sceptically.

"Really. Have you seriously not noticed the amount of time she spends worrying about me, the amount of time she wants to spend with me? The hours that she talks to me, but she won't talk to you? Haven't you noticed that suddenly, I'm the priority again?" Jacob growled, he had definitely noticed. All his jealous moments came flooding back to him in the form of a tidal wave with all of Leo's words.

"I'm ruining her life." Leo continued. "I think she's doing all this because she thinks she'll have her big brother back...but he really did die."

"You can't say that," Jacob said in bewilderment. "You haven't _tried _living like you did. You haven't even given it a chance!"

"If you wanted to kill people..._friends _all the time, would you?" Jacob winced, somehow imagining the time that Embry spent with Rayn and how, were he to see it as Leo described, he would want to murder Embry for it. Jacob raised his eyebrows briefly, Remy _had _wanted to murder Embry for it.

"I think she knows it's coming." Jacob said slowly, looking back out to the flawless night sky. "That's why she has so many nightmares of it."

"Maybe," Leo agreed. "She always felt things...knew things. Kinda like that something bad would happen in the woods-"

"Or how she knew I was a wer-_shape shifter_." Jacob intruded, suddenly marvelling in the logic and truth behind this knew theory.

"Or how she knew I was here." Leo nodded. "She's a good girl."

"She is." Jacob nodded. Leo stood up, shoving his hands in his pockets as he looked out over the view from the porch. Jacob clued in with wide eyes.

"You're leaving _now_?" He asked in shock. "You're not even going to say goodbye?"

"Why?" He asked, his eyes digging into Jacob's own. "So her tears can convince me to stay?" Jacob sighed in defeat, to show it, he stood up as well. The two stood face to face and though Jacob stood much taller than Leo, somehow it was as if they were looking at each other from the same level.

"You take care of my sister." Leo ordered as his watery eyes gazed towards her bedroom. Jacob felt his own stomach tighten, wondering why he was getting emotional for a man that he didn't like. He knew, however, that he was mourning because of the pain that Rayn was about to endure when she realized he was gone.

"I'll never let anything hurt her." He said seriously. "Not even me."

"Good." Leo said shortly. The two of them stood awkwardly now, no longer straight and powerful as they were not quite sure what to say next. "Tell her I love her. Tell her this is for the best for all of us."

"She's going to kill me for letting you leave again." Jacob groaned, almost sure he could already feel the punishment he would have of her silence for who knew how long. Leo shook his head, shrugging his shoulders as he shoved his hands into his back pockets.

"She'll be fine. This time she'll have you."

"Be safe, Leo. For her sake." Jacob told stoically, trying not to betray the fact that he wasn't actually sure if this was the best idea.

"Maybe you'll see me around." Leo smirked. "For _your _sake I hope you don't."

Jacob couldn't help but smirk as well, doing a slight shoulder shrug.

"I could take you and keep you alive if I wanted to." Both of them let out a short laugh.

"Yeah, _if you wanted to_." Leo gazed back towards Rayn's room. The emotions that played over his face were incomprehensible and Jacob realized how hard of a thing this must be to do. How much he was sacrificing, how much he was throwing aside to leave her. Jacob also knew that he would never be able to do it. And suddenly, as if with the snap of fingers, Jacob looked at Leo in a new light. He suddenly _did _look human, he looked vulnerable and weak. He looked like he could break into sobs, even though all that escaped him was a tear. Jacob looked at Leo's strength and found that all too late, he respected him.

"You can fight all this, you know." Jacob said strongly. "I know you can."

"Maybe." Leo nodded, not even trying to rip his eyes from the bedroom window. "But I have to find that out on my own."

"When you do, there's always a place for you here." A smile graced Leo's features and made him almost somewhat attractive. His light hazel eyes were dancing with such emotion, his features looked suddenly more boyish even if tarnished.

"Tell her I love her."

"I will." Jacob said immediately, trying not to be too moved by the emotion which wavered Leo's voice.

"Remember your promise. You keep her safe." Leo said with a little more strength. Jacob just nodded, knowing that it was all that was needed. "Goodbye, Jacob."

"Goodbye, Leo." Jacob held out his hand, which finally made Leo tear his eyes away from the bedroom window. Leo seemed unsure if he should take it, as if Jacob may be playing some kind of trick. He set his jaw and took Jacob's hand, grasping it tightly.

There was a few moments where they froze like that, both of them too afraid to let the other one go. But finally, they released hands, neither could tell who had released whom. Leo nodded to him curtly and yet meaningfully before he smiled. It was a sad, rueful smile. One that would be burnt into Jacob's memory forever. Then, without another word, or look to the bedroom window, he dashed away from the house as fast as his legs would carry him, moulding in with the fog and darkness.

And in the solitude of the warm, lonely night, somewhere inside the house Rayn began to scream. But Leo was long gone, and there was only the lingering nothingness to prove he was ever there.

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**Sad huh?**

**Review please? Next chapter is the end :( so you won't have much longer to do it, so please start (or continue) even now!**

**--Egypt**


	21. Epilogue

**6381 words of Fluff and fixing loose ends. **

**Thank you to **Living Masquerade**, **Davii-Hime**, **Rose**, **Angel of the Night Watchers**, and **VampireNick009** for their reviews. Thank you to everyone who WILL review on this chapter, or any others. Thank you for sticking with me through my first fanfiction and I hope you forgive how much worse it is then my other stories.**

**On that note ****please read my other stories****. And, for those of you who are reading this, I would like to announce that I have another new story coming out when I get three more chapters off **_Forgetting Franki _**and **_Sickening _**out. It will be part 1 of a trilogy. And...............it is an Edward Cullen x OOC story. I know what you're thinking "Oh dear God" but I have a really good idea for it and it's one of the reasons I've been neglecting this because I can't get the ideas for it out of my head. Please read it. Please read ****all ****my stories, the way I have progressed over this story is really shown by how much better said stories are.**

**Thank you all!**

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There was a heavy happiness that rang through the air. It came in the sound of church bells, even though the wedding was planned to be in the backyard. Simple and spacious. There was murmuring from all outside the house, which was making everyone _in _the house either become more nervous or more excited.

Jacob was getting more nervous, which he expressed by mumbling to himself in the most grumpy way he could establish. The people who were passing him would roll their eyes, mumbling something about him being a little too vain. It wasn't until he heard that familiar, quiet giggle from behind him he felt the need to turn around and he could finally find a reason to smile.

Rayn looked beautiful. Like all the other girls she was done up with makeup that made her look surprisingly fresh and natural. Emily had done all the makeup and he would have to remember to thank her later. Her hair was done in a thick braid like the others and she was wearing a very fuzzy white bathrobe to hide all jewellery and her dress...again like the others.

"I can't tie this thing." He pouted looking down at his neck tie still grasped between his fingers. This made her giggle again and he couldn't help but drink in the sound. She noticed his smile as she pouted herself, only to mock him he was sure, while she held out her hands for his dark lavender accessory. He rolled his eyes melodramatically, showing her he wasn't actually annoyed as he handed it toward her.

She reached up on her tippy-toes as she slung the material around his neck. She smiled lightly at him while she tied the material together, smiling smugly up toward him. She must feel proud that she knew how to do this and he didn't. He briefly wondered if she had learned it from her brother.

When she was finished tying it, she placed her hands on his chest and smiled. She took a deep breath and opened her mouth to speak but at the last second decided not to. Jacob tried very hard to keep the scowl from gracing his features, he didn't have much luck. She noticed and lowered her eyes, reverting back to leaning against his chest, careful not to smudge her makeup across his white shirt.

Rayn had not spoken for a long time. Much too long. She had barely spoken after the night where the werewolves attacked the shape shifters and she had not really spoken more then two word responses to anyone...not even Embry. It upset Jacob at times, but he had to remember back to that conversation so long ago when she had specifically told him not to expect much talk from her. She had changed her life to involve silence and no matter how much she loved him, it was her way. He didn't want to make her change it.

He had gotten much better with sign language because of it. He could now use it fluently and even though he and Rayn could not have conversations so he could hear her voice, he could now hold conversations with her through that. And they held many conversations, they 'talked' all the time. But there was always an undercut of sadness to it, a wonder if they would ever hold conversations through voice again.

After a couple moments Rayn pulled away from him, he could tell by the simple glaze over her eyes that she was already exhausted. She had not been sleeping well the past week due to his constant absence. There had been rounds to be done and it was his turn to work late shifts, and then of course there were bachelorette and bachelor parties that had been held. It had caused it to be a long week of distance between the two and as he had discovered, she never really slept well unless it was with him.

"You can take a nap between the ceremony and reception if you need to, I'm sure they won't need us-" Rayn shook her head as she immediately disregarded the thought.

'_I'm burnt out,_' She signed quickly, '_but I am not missing a moment of this._'

Jake raised his hand to her cheek, lightly pushing his fingers against her cool face, revelling in how soft her skin was. He also liked the tint which coloured her skin as she blushed. It was like it pooled just from where he touched and even though he didn't _need _it, he enjoyed the small reassurance that this was not a one-sided relationship.

"HEY!" The loud yell made Rayn jump and Jacob moved his hand just enough so that on her way back down he would no hit her eye. When she landed back on the ground a second later, he pulled her a bit closer to him even while she looked around wildly for the large voice that they were both sure had meant to address them.

Leah came out of the blue, wearing the same fluffy bathrobe and done up to look more beautiful then Jacob had ever seen her. There was a strange type of beauty there that he could not describe, maybe it was because he was in slight shock of it, or maybe he was in awe of it, he wasn't sure. The only thing that didn't look as divine about her was the sour expression on her face. Tight mouth, narrowed eyes, slightly pale...

"Get your hands off each other." She hissed. "Give me the girl, and no one gets hurt." Jacob tried not to chuckle, but found it made more sound and made it more obvious when he held it back. Her eyes blazed.

"Come on Leah, I'm allowed to touch my Rayn." Jacob began but Leah scoffed at the mention of 'his Rayn' and placed her hand up to stop him from speaking any further.

"Jacob, if you don't let her come with me-" she cut off her sentence, knowing that arguing with him was futile. She turned to Rayn and placed on her most sickly sweet expression she could muster. "Rayn, if you don't stop making me sick to my stomach, I will personally make sure that _your Jacob _will have broken legs for the reception and you'll be stuck dancing with _me _all night."

"That's exactly what you want, isn't it?" Jacob muttered darkly. Leah's eyes flashed to his and there was a long, tense moment of silence where he was wondering if she was about to destroy her bridesmaid's dress. "Alight, alright. Why don't you go with Leah before I have to literally become 'the boy who cried wolf'?" He told, looking down at Rayn who's eyes displayed she found this amusing, but that she understood Leah's situation much more then Jacob did.

Surprisingly, she left him without so much as a kiss on the cheek. She held her arm out to the side and looked at Leah with raised eyebrows. Leah looked at it in her common anger - with a tinge of confusion - before she raised her own eyebrows as if she were impressed by Rayn's nerve. Leah didn't hesitate very long before she linked her arm with Rayn's smaller, much more delicate one, and they walked away from Jacob, leaving him with the same expression Leah seemed to have occupied.

"I don't like her with make up." Embry's voice rang from behind him. Jacob turned slowly and watched as his friend tried - as discretely as possible - to take a cookie off of the snack table, which was to be 'left untouched until the reception'. When he had successfully done so, he shoved the whole thing in his mouth at once, smiling around innocently at anyone who may have looked last minute before he dared chew.

"I don't mind either way." Jacob shrugged. Rayn could wear a garbage bag for all he cared and she would probably still look like a queen. Actually, if she wore a garbage bag that was small enough, he would probably find it sexy...

"Man, it's different for you. She's your imprint. She could be a floating head and you would think she has the nicest collar bones on the planet..."

"That doesn't make _any _sense." Jacob told with a grin. Embry stuck his hand out for another cookie and he watched it in fascination. He had a new white tenser bandage wrapped all the way around his wrist and he had tried to hide it by switching suit jackets with Paul who had just slightly longer arms, but his skin was so dark and his bandage so white that it was still noticeable for anyone who looked.

This recent injury wasn't healing like all the other injuries that they usually got. This had happened five days prior during the time that he was a _werewolf. _Not a wolf, like they were, but a wolf.

Embry had struck gold, though. Remy had stayed through his first transformation and explained to them how lucky he was to have already been a shape shifter. Were he not, he wouldn't have all the perks he currently did. Sure, his scent had changed a bit, his saliva had that special venom to change others during the full moon and he _did _have to change during the that time, but everything else was pretty normal. He was the same size, the same colour and most importantly, he still had the mental link between the wolves. The thing that probably kept him sane enough not to attack anyone.

But he still could get injured. Apparently more easily then he could have before he had been bitten by Remy since he had sprained his hand while trying to outrun Leah in wolf form and it still hadn't quite healed. He didn't seem to mind much and by the way he snuck another full cookie into his mouth, it looked like it was feeling fine. They would have asked Remy as to the physics behind it, but as soon as Roma had been let out of the hospital they had disappeared, leaving only Rayn with a proper goodbye.

"You're not being sly at _all_." Quil smirked walking over to them, his suit a little darker then their own. Nicer. More expensive. Almost too quickly for their eyes to see he grabbed a cookie off the table, contrasting to Embry's slow crawling hand to them, before he whipped it into his mouth. "Anyway," he said while crumbs flew at them through his mouth. "We're about to start."

"So we get to see the girls?" Embry asked with a raised eyebrow, trying his sly way to take another cookie and seeing if Quil would notice he rolled his eyes and looked straight at Embry's hand, which froze for a moment before he quickly swiped one just like Quil had done.

"HEY!" Leah hissed from across the room. "Leave the damn cookies alone!"

Embry put his hands in front of him, holding them together guiltily. Quil just rolled his eyes and Jacob tried hard, again, not to laugh. He looked over to Leah about to yell something smart ass about how 'if she didn't care to fit in her dress she could have one too' before he stopped.

The girls had taken off their bathrobes and put on their shoes. They all looked wonderful. Dark lavender dresses to match the boys ties, black strappy shoes. The dresses were mid shin length and made of some sort of silky material. Thick straps with that ruffley low collar that has too much material and hangs. It looked pretty nice on the girls.

Especially on Rayn.

It wasn't hard to notice out of his peripheral everyone run to their imprint. Quil had even picked up Claire who was wearing a miniature version in a lighter purple, she was after all the flower girl. Jacob thought of moving but he was still in awe while he watched Rayn blush and tug at her dress self-consciously. She had no reason to. She looked divine.

The dress wasn't that spectacular of a dress, it's true. But the dark purple set off her light aqua eyes, the little bit of lip gloss she had on shone and looked much more alluring then the dress. The flowers in her hand were of a random variety that he could not name, but the colours matched the scenery of the wedding. They looked more elegant within her hands. He couldn't help noticing that she looked somehow smaller in the dress then the others did in theirs, more fragile perhaps? What made her that much more beautiful was the small smile that played across her lips, the flush to her cheeks as she waited for Jacob to come to her.

He took three large bounds towards her, picking up speed with each one as he lifted her into his arms and spun her around. She let out a cry of delight, wrapping her arms around his neck and giggling loudly. He kissed her lips lightly as he chuckled himself, not minding that his lips were now sticky.

"You clean up well, Ms. Talon." Jacob told, holding her still but not quite ready to put her down. He liked it when she was closer to his height, it didn't happen that often unless he did his. And she only usually appreciated it when it came as a surprise. She did not respond, he had not expected it, but instead she leaned her head against his shoulder and took a deep breath.

He had never asked her why she did this so often, but he always took it as a sign of affection. Maybe she was sighing in happiness. Maybe she was breathing him in. Maybe she felt like she was finally free enough to breathe at all. Either way, he knew that it only meant she was comfortable. That she was happy. And that was all that really ever mattered to him.

"Alright, give me my partner, man." Embry's voice grumbled. Both Rayn and Jacob sighed audibly as Jacob set her down on the floor, holding on for that extra second to make sure she could stand properly as she was in heals. Embry made a face when he heard the sigh. "What? You think this lug is better than me?"

Rayn only snorted before running over to Embry and wrapping her arms around his waist, a way to make him not only forget but beg his forgiveness if he still remembered after the suddenness of it. He laughed, wrapping his hands around her as well and rolled his eyes. "You're sneaky."

She shrugged as she released him wrapping her arm through his own the way she had done with Leah as she took her place third in the line. In the front of the line, Quil stood with Claire holding the basket down low enough that she could grab flower petals to throw in front of her. She was a little too enthusiastic and a little too early as she played with them.

Then it was Paul and Rachel, who were a little too close for Jacob's eyes to appreciate. Paul's arm was wrapped firmly around her waist, possibly hanging a bit low. He felt himself shiver. He really hoped that he wouldn't be put on shifts with Paul often now that he was dating - and possibly doing worse things with - his sister.

Then it was Embry and Rayn as said, who were currently signing to each other. He could barely see what it was because it was much faster then he could sign and it was one handed so they were spelling a lot. He caught something about 'high as a bird', but didn't catch what it was in reference to.

Seth was next with Emily's cousin, Claire's sister. Her name currently evaded Jacob's mind, but she was around Seth's age. Seth had been hoping to possibly imprint on her, but it didn't come as a surprise when he didn't. Jake was pretty sure he had seen Claire's sister before now and it was always the first time you saw them after you had shifted for your first time.

Then there was Jared and Kim, sanding and whispering things into each others ears that made Jacob wished he couldn't hear them. He was wincing but they didn't seem to notice as they giggled, Kim trying to be seductive and Jared buying into it much too easily.

Which left...

"Alright, kid. I don't want to do this any more than you do, so let's be civil and not rip each others heads off until _after _my cousin's hitched to my ex-fiancé." Though her words were awful and bitter, they were said with a smile had you not listened because of the tone you couldn't tell she had just insulted three people at once. Her smile was one of the most genuine-looking fake smiles he had seen. She must have been practicing for this moment for a long time.

"You okay?" He asked lowly, trying to make it less obvious that they were speaking. She looked at him with that fake smile.

"Whatever do you mean? Do I not look thrilled? I'm the Maid of Honour at Sam and Emily's wedding. Do I not look okay?" Her voice had taken the slightest hint of hysteria at the end of her sentence, but her smile had not faltered. It worried him further.

"No you look like a lying she-wolf." Jacob stated blatantly. Her expression faltered for just one moment where she looked like she was pissed off but she covered it quickly.

"For a second I thought you were going to say 'you'll understand if you ever imprint' and I was about to hurt you." She laughed, it was a cold and painful sound. "I guess I can keep you around a while longer."

"Rayn likes you, you know." Jacob said softly. "I remember you don't really like her much, but she looks up to you." He tried not to get offended as he remembered the day before he even imprinted on Rayn. He remembered her saying those horrible things about her, about how it was her fault Leo was dead, about how she was a freak.

"It's not that I don't like her," she told and this time her smile did fall. It broke completely and she looked almost a little confused as to why he would think that. "It's that I had always been close with Leo. Leo was closer to my age. Rayn was just an annoying little kid I had to baby-sit."

"Well, that 'annoying little kid' is really worried about you." She sighed loudly, tilting her head up a moment before looking back down to her flowers as if they were out of order. She picked at them absently.

"To be honest: I'm a little worried about her, too."

He raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Oh?"

"Well yeah." She said as if it were obvious. "Of course I am. She may be an annoying little kid, but she's my cousin. And she's not talking anymore. I mean - the first time nothing made sense so I was mad. Now that I get it...well, it's not healthy, shutting yourself off like that."

"So you'd rather her blow up at people with her grief?" He asked. She glared at him openly, knowing full well that he was talking about her, now. She elbowed him in the arm and surprisingly it actually kind of hurt. It was always surprising when she would hurt them, it was weird having a girl werewolf that wouldn't rough-house with them but was apparently just as strong.

The music started and Quil helped Claire open the door from the house as he began to walk down the aisle with her. Jacob tried not to let the irony that all the imprints were going together make him chuckle while, at the same time, he tried not to let the disappointment of the symbolism wear on him either. He was not walking with his imprint like everyone else was.

Then again, he shouldn't be complaining about being the best man.

"I want her to get herself right." Leah stated. "She's a good kid. Annoying. But good. She shouldn't have had to deal with all the stuff that even _we _hadn't dealt with yet."

"Do you feel _bad _for Rayn?" He asked, his eyes wide with shock as he looked at her. Her cheeks went pink.

"Shut up, Jake. I'm concerned for family. Difference."

"Emily's family." Jacob stated quickly. Leah looked away, righting herself because the second couple had now gone.

"Yes she is. That's why I have this pretty smile I practiced for _weeks_."

"Is there no part of you that is actually happy for her? Sam was made for her. For all you know it wouldn't have worked out for you two anyway." Jacob told, but Leah was already shaking her head. Her smile gone, her eyes dark.

"It should be me." She said lowly. "I should be the one in that dress."

"You know, there _are _better guys in the world out there." Jacob told. "Sam's not all _that _great."

"He is for me." Leah hissed back. "We were perfect." Then, a hallow laugh emanated from her and now there was a real smile. A rueful, somewhat sadistic smile. "Well, I guess we weren't. Or else he would have imprinted on _me._"

"He really loved you." Rayn walked out and Jacob tried to keep focused in the conversation as he watched her flowing, rhythmic movements with Embry to go down the aisle. He wished he could have walked with her and Leah and he could have had this conversation at some other time.

"Yeah, and then that stupid imprinting thing took all his free will away." Leah growled. "He had no choice but to choose her."

Jacob thought to argue, but decided not to. It would just hurt her more to hear what she already knew: that it was between Emily and Sam to decide how to take the affection that came with imprinting. They could have been best friends. They had chosen to do something different with the love they had. And he couldn't blame them, it was too strong not to.

"You'll find someone worth your time." Jacob said honestly. "Eventually, that guy will come around. But if you're honestly this bitter and angry toward everyone you might scare him away before you realize it was him. Shit happens. And then it gets cleaned up. You can walk over it, around it, or through it, but in the end it's still going to be there. But it doesn't mean you stop walking." Leah laughed out loud, it was a bark. A sign of a real laugh.

"You're one weird child, Jacob Black."

"Come on, let's show this ass that you will find a better guy. And then, when this is done, we'll party it up and actually find him." Even though it was terribly obvious he didn't find Sam an ass, nor did he actually think it would help her, he saw her smile at him. She then looked forward and holding her flowers up high, there was a new level of confidence basically dripping from her.

"That's what I like to hear. Let's shake this shit up." He pushed the doors open for her and they walked into the cool fall breeze, walking down the aisle with lifted hopes and real pride.

***

"Is Rayn asleep?" Jacob asked, watching as his girlfriend leaned heavily against Embry's chest. Her breathing was deep and rhythmic and in the whole three minutes he had watched for any sign of movement, there was nothing more then the natural subconscious twitches a body makes.

It had been a beautiful wedding: the boys had been handsome and charming, the girls looked beautiful and were sweet, even Leah was trying to be on her best behaviour as Emily strode down in her wonderful white gown and the two said their vows. The men had done a lot of smiling, the girls had done a lot of crying.

After the ceremony and the two were 'officially hitched' had come the reception which involved a lot of dancing, a lot of talking, a fair amount of drinking, and even a bit of dancing. Not much from Jacob's side, Rayn had done much more. I was of course understandable, he thought he looked awkward, while she looked as natural as water flowing through a riverbed.

Rayn had not had much to drink, just a few glasses of champagne in celebration of the event, but he could tell it had hit her quickly. Her cheeks had flushed, her eyes had unfocused, and her dancing became a little more about keeping balance then keeping rhythm. She wasn't drunk, but she definitely hadn't been sober.

While Jake had been talking to Sue Clearwater, who was also surprisingly bitter about the wedding, Rayn had lain down against Embry. She had explained to him that it was cold, she was tired, and he was comfortable. Jacob had originally thought that once he had sat down, as he had about five minutes before, that she would switch chests and come lie on him. But after watching her for three minutes, probably now four, he knew that he had waited to long.

"Yeah, she's out." Embry told his voice making him sound a little tired himself. "Probably for the best, that wine didn't treat her very well." He put his hand on her back and rubbed it softly, she tensed a bit before squirming around and getting more comfortable again. Jacob would have liked to think that it was because she recognized that it wasn't him touching her, but he had no reason to actually believe all that.

"Well, the party's starting to die out anyway. I don't think that wine has treated _anyone _very well." Paul told quietly, trying to move his chest as little as possible because Rachel was lying the same way that Rayn lie on his own chest. Jacob looked between his sister and Rayn, trying to decide whether she looked as contented as Rayn did.

She looked even more peaceful, as a matter of fact.

"Think it's bad form for the best man to leave the party early?" Jacob muttered, looking around to see Sam and Emily whispering to each other as they swayed together on the dance floor. They both looked beautiful - actually, they looked ethereal, as if they were _glowing _in happiness.

It was probably this which made Leah leave the wedding so early. With a man. Alone. Jacob hoped she hadn't imprinted on someone from Sam's extended family, but thought she probably hadn't. Maybe she had just decided to stop looking for unconditional love and let it find her.

"We can come and clean things up tomorrow night when they leave for the honeymoon." Jared yawned. "For now: I say we give them time alone and we get _our _time alone." Kim giggled and he wrapped his arm a little more tightly around her. Though it made them all want to vomit, the idea sparked in their minds. None of them could really say they didn't want to go home with their 'special someone'...

"I'm in." Jacob said quickly and there were more choruses of the same words coming after him. People began stretching, going over to Sam and Emily to wish them all their best for the honeymoon and assuring them that they would be fine while they were away. That the shifts would be taken, the house would be cleaned, and they wouldn't starve without Emily's cooking.

Jacob stood and stretched as well, walking over to Embry, three or so seats away and holding his arms out expectantly. Embry raised his eyebrows and scoffed at him.

"Yeah, she's light: but she's not just a stack'a flowers. I can't just shove her to you." He explained, putting his hands above his hands as if Jacob were the police. "Take her if you want her. I'm not waking her up. She hits _me._" He told pointedly, mock glaring at his friend. Jake laughed a bit and Embry laughed a little more loudly then he should have as well. Ever since he had been bitten it was a lot more harsh of a sound, it sounded much more like a bark then any laugh he had ever done before that time. Jake tried not to show how he winced.

He walked over to Embry, and got down on one knee. He tried to ignore the irony of it on such a specific day, but found his stomach twisting anyway. He placed his hand on her back, where Embry had earlier. Instead of squirming she seemed to lean into his hand and he wondered whether or not she actually _did _know that it was him.

"Rayn, come on honey, we're going home." She stirred lightly for a moment, turning her head to hear his voice a bit more, but she eventually fell a little more to the side. She was completely gone and though she was small and frail, she _wasn't _ a stack of flowers.

He slid his arm under her legs and squeezed her shoulders tightly with his other until she was up in the air where he quickly readjusted so he didn't feel like he could possibly be crushing her bones. He balanced her in his arms briefly, giving a look to Embry...he wasn't sure why. It just seemed the thing to do, almost, dare he say - asking permission?

"You guys take the house. I'm running patrol basically all night anyway. I only got up two hours before the wedding and I missed all that time last week cause it was 'that time of the month'." He smirked lightly at the joke that Leah had once made, then shrugged, sighing before he sat up and left them alone.

Jake couldn't help but be pleased. A house alone. Far too tempting to pass up.

She looked comfortable in his arms. While she had been with Embry it was ever-so-slightly more stiff and uncomfortable, but with him...it seemed natural. It seemed like she wanted to be moulded together with his body, her skin touching as much of his skin as possible. Her cheek against his chest, her shoulder pressed firmly into his body, her legs wrapping around his arm as she leaned her entire self against his warmth. Fighting to keep it.

It didn't take that long to get to the house, he didn't find it difficult to set her in the car even though he noticed that she was much more distressed when he wasn't holding her. He held her hand to make it up, but instead she clutched to his arm. There were times he was steering with his knees when he had to reverse and park.

He took her into the house, she was trying to walk at this point. He wasn't sure if it was the alcohol or the exhaustion which was making her sway so hazardously, so he held her hips in his hands and steered her toward the door.

It creaked loudly at their entrance, trying to warn anyone in the house that they were coming in. The floor creaked and when the front door was closed, the whole house moaned. It really needed renovations.

"Do you want anything before you go to sleep?" Jacob asked her softly, making sure to kiss the ear that he had whispered into. She shook her head, the only sign that she had heard him because the next second she had whirled around and wrapped her legs around his waist. He stood there shocked for a second, even though he knew he shouldn't have been. He had been seeing signs of this childish need of affection a lot throughout the time he had known her, especially lately. Embry thought it was because she was so neglected as a child when Leo left and though no one would ever know for sure, he was probably right.

He grabbed her under her arms and pulled her up his body, her arms wrapping around his neck while her legs wrapped around his waist. He couldn't help chuckling, seeing this more adorable then sexually appealing. Even though may be that was the effect she was going for.

"Let's get you to bed." He smiled. It felt like it had been forever since he had spent time with her, nevertheless slept beside her. 'Intimacy' was important too, and he wasn't going to deny that he thought about it a lot more then he was willing to admit, but she seemed to like just lying beside him more. And he certainly didn't mind, so if that's how she'd rather spend her time - within reason, - that's how they would spend their time.

He carried her to bed and fell down on it while she was still tangled around him, holding her close so she wouldn't have to feel much of the impact. She moved her head around his chest trying to find the most comfortable position and when she did, she stayed still for a long time.

"I'm sorry." The words were so quiet and so raspy that he wasn't even sure he had actually heard them. He took his hand and tilted her chin up and she was wide eyed and looking guiltily back at him. He felt his eyes shine with confusion, what had given her the idea she had to be sorry about anything? And why had she just spoken to say it?

"Why?" He asked stupidly, not understanding the reason for her spontaneity.

"I've been so happy with you, but I've been so sad about Leo. I haven't been talking to you at all." He wanted to get up and cheer, this was more then a two word response and that was the best anyone had gotten out of her in months. It took him a moment to see through his happiness into the meaning of what she was actually saying and he shook his head.

"You told me that you didn't like to speak, so I'm not about to make you start speaking. Besides, we do still talk - just not verbally. It's not like you aren't communicating with me at all." She shrugged lightly, looking out the door at the light spilling into her usually dark bedroom. She was probably wondering if she should turn off that light so that he wouldn't have to see her facial expressions, something she often liked to do. But he always knew what she was feeling, with or without light shed on it.

"Do you think I will look that pretty?" She asked, keeping her eyes firmly set on the door so that he wouldn't see the way her eyes twitched lightly toward him, but because her face was towards the light he could see her cheeks tint.

"What do you mean?" He asked, trying not to smile. She _always _looked pretty.

"When we get married." It only took a second for his heart to swell so much that it had no more room to beat within his chest. It got in the way of his lungs and he found he couldn't even breathe. His whole body froze in shock of the feeling which was drawn from those words.

"You wanna marry me?" He asked slowly, he didn't know where he had gotten the breath to do it. Her beautiful, tropical eyes looked deep within his own as she watched him with guarded confusion and anxiety.

"Well - that's what you do when you love someone, isn't it?" She asked slowly, he could hear the worry ring in her tone, thinking she had said too much. But it was the opposite effect. He was thrilled, no, more then thrilled he was ecstatic! The girl who was so calm and reserved, his one true love, his everything felt the same way for him as he did for her. Even though there was a part of him that said they were too young still, the idea was too splendid not to think about every day. But now _she _was saying it. This made it more then a fantasy: this made it only a matter of time.

"Did you just propose to me?" He asked with a chuckle, trying to lighten the mood so that she would feel less antsy. It did the job, she smiled too even as her ears went the colour of a lobster and she tried to giggle he feeling away.

"I don't know...did I?"

"I would love to marry you." He said with a smile. Her response was an immediate smile of her own, one so big that he hadn't seen one like it in a long time - if ever. It was stunning, bright, and made her look happy again. He wished he would have known that was all it took a little bit sooner... "But how about we wait a little while and let _me _propose the proper way?" Her smile only grew.

"Okay. I can live with that." She giggled.

"I can live with _you._" He told, sitting up so that he could kiss her. It was soft, sweet, and they could both feel each other smiling.

"I love you, Jacob." She yawned softly and he felt the need to chuckle as he kissed the top of her head. He shivered a little as she moved to basically sleep on top of him, trying to touch as much skin to skin as possible. The feeling overwhelmed his body.

"I love you, Rayn. Go to sleep, we have our whole lives for this." The idea made his heart flutter again and he felt her smile into his chest.

"You'll never leave me?" The reference was obviously more towards Leo then towards the fact that she was worried he wouldn't love her. He held her a little more tightly and in doing so brought his face to hers. Their lips touched ever so softly so they could lightly feel the smiles on their faces and taste each other before he pulled away.

"Never."

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**Thank you again, everyone. It was an honour writing this for you all. Please take a look at my other stories: **_Forgetting Franki__**,**__ Sickening__**, and the**__ Walk the Earth _**series with it's part one:**_ Time After Time_**. **

**And since it's the last time, please review! Please?**

**--Egypt**


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